The Problem with Smart Girls
by ShadowJackal35
Summary: -is that they're too sensible for their own good. Rin Kazehaya is a transfer student and as soon as she stepped foot in her new class, earned the invaluable attention of Date Masamune, possibly the most popular guy at their school. The only problem? She doesn't want it. To make it worse, due to an unfortunate event, she finds herself in his debt that'll cost her very sanity. Mod.AU
1. Chapter 1

**The Problem with Smart Girls**

**Chapter One**

Somewhere… Far, far away… In a parallel universe… Kazehaya Rin was being verbally abused yet again by Date Masamune, in modern Japan.

"You know, for someone as smart as you, you really don't know how to take a hint," came his smooth voice, which was usually quite successful when tempting girls to share a night with him. … Except when it came to Rin.

Rin scowled and said, "Shut up, you stupid pervert. Do you want my help for this test, or not?"

Masamune leaned back and said casually, "Maybe. But I'd rather do something more fun, like what I just finished explaining to you. Honestly, everyone does it these days, so I'm not sure how you've been able to hold out so long."

Rin sighed and rubbed her temples, "Just shut up and do the problem. If you can't do something as simple as this, you'll never pass the test." Masamune grumbled into his note book some more but went back to working and Rin studied him from the tops of her eyes.

Sure, she admitted it, he was good looking. Dark brown hair and grey eyes (or… really, _eye_, she reasoned,) definitely go well together, and the eye patch he decidedly wore may have made him look like a pirate, but it also added an air of mystery. Even though he refused to explain why he wore this strange accessory, it seemed to only make him more appealing to the girls at their school.

It's really no wonder why he's one of the most popular guys around. He's good looking… He's got money… And he's sharper than a knife when it came to witty come backs. The only thing he was missing?

Brains.

He may look like he's got the intelligence of Albert Einstein, but really, he's failed more tests than anyone around and his grade in everything, besides English Literature and phys ed (and possibly even health), was slowly but surely declining.

Which is partly where Rin came along.

After a … Slight accident with a family treasure and the confession of Masamune's failing grades, Rin had been hired as his tutor. In return for her help, Masamune would pay her and she could slowly but surely work off the debt of breaking the prized Chinese vase she had broken only a month earlier.

Rin sighed irritably. If only she hadn't been so careless…

* * *

"_My name is Kazehaya Rin, pleased to meet you." Rin bowed respectively after she wrote her characters on the board. "'Rin' as in 'cold' and 'Kazehaya' as in 'swift wind'."_

"_Rin is a new transfer student here from the western parts of the Iwate prefecture and she's earned several scholarships which is quite an impressive feat for… Someone of her birth." Rin cringed only slightly when she heard this, but otherwise didn't react. She may be new in the city, but she had expected this sort of behavior and prepared herself for it. "Please make sure you show your respect," the substitute teacher said quickly, noticing how rude he had sounded._

_Rin sat quietly in her desk and their lessons began. She had just opened her notebook when a crumpled ball of paper landed on top, 'Meet me after class.' She looked up and smiled at Yukimura, who grinned back brightly._

_She had met him earlier that day after bumping into him… Literally… Bumping into him. Their collision had set them both falling backwards and each rushed to apologize. So far he was the only one she liked in this crappy school._

_Other than meeting Yukimura, it had been a rocky first day. She had hoped city schools would be different than the ones out in the country, with glamor, intelligence… Higher classed people who didn't form stupid cliques but apparently she had been wrong._

_If anything, it was worse out here with the rich, petty snobs than the stupid country._

_And the pettiest of snobs?_

_Date Masamune._

_He was always surrounded by people and always at the center of attention. Everyone loved him. … __Everyone__._

_Even Yukimura, who always swore was his biggest enemy, couldn't help but admire the "One-Eyed Dragon", a pretentious nick-name in Rin's opinion, but one everyone had taken to calling him._

_It was just her luck when he had taken a sudden interest in her, not too long after her first day. Just her luck… If she had been anyone else, Rin probably would have been overjoyed to have the most popular guy in school on her heels, but she wasn't, and no matter how hard she tried rejecting him he just kept coming back._

_Something about her cold indifference towards him had sparked an interest and when he was paired up with her for their first class project, and she broke a family vase at his house, it only made things worse._

_Rin had stared at the shattered vase in mute horror… And Masamune laughed. Hard. He was practically rolling on the floor laughing and Rin scowled, as she saw nothing funny about this._

_How the hell could she pay for it? With her meager salary at her part time job down at the café a few streets away from where she lived, the costs of her apartment, and the fact that she refused to ask for help from her mother, there was no way she could pay for it!_

_But then Masamune proposed an idea. If she helped him raise his grades and keep them constant for the rest of the year, he'll pay her so she can work off the cost of the vase. And if she can make sure his grades stay above average for the rest of their two years at their high school, he'll sweep the entire cost under the rug at the end of their time at school._

_Rin had no choice but to accept._

* * *

And here she was. Cursed to be his slave for the rest of her high school days, as that's basically what he's made her, and never to be able to enjoy a peaceful afternoon by herself again.

She continued shunning him in school, despite how he tried talking to her, but every day afterwards she was forced to go home with him and help with their assignments. This was definitely _not _how she imagined how her high school career would go.

But… _Damn he's good looking…_ _Wait, what? No, no, no! No Rin, bad Rin, very bad Rin!_ Rin mentally berated herself as she shook her head. She was not falling for this one-eyed freak. No. She wouldn't.

She couldn't.

She already had a guy in mind, right? Although she couldn't remember his face or name exactly, she knew she had met another boy when she was seven who she had taken a distinct liking to, and so with a firm resolve she vowed not to fall for the guy known as Date Masamune.

Too hard.

"_Oi, _Rin, how's this?" Masamune handed his sheet of paper and Rin sighed. When did he get the idea that he could use her first name so freely like they were friends? Sure, she didn't want him using a stupid honorific like –chan, that would have made it seem like they were a couple, but maybe something as simple as –san or –sensei would have been nicer…

Rin took the paper and quickly skimmed it, "Not bad." She said, "Though it would've been easier if you had taken x, here, and applied it here, see?"

She used her pencil to lightly trace an example out and he nodded, "**_Alright _**then, I see what you mean. **_Thanks_**."

That was another thing Rin had noticed about Date that fared well with the girls. He liked using English phrases at the weirdest of times, and somehow that just really seemed to be a turn on.

Rin shook her head again in disgust, she really hated this guy.

But she had to pay off that damned debt. Why, oh _why_, had she been so careless?

She cried on the inside woefully for being such a klutz that day and she rubbed her temples again. _Think happy thoughts Rin_…_ It'll only be for two more years... That wasn't happy at all!_ She practically screamed at herself. She really had to stop these weird conversations with herself...

Rin glanced at her watch and said, "Well, it's about five; I think it's about time I headed home." She collected her papers and stood up, shoving them in her messenger bag and walking quickly towards the door.

No use being in Date Masamune's room for any longer than she needed to be. "Ah, I'll walk you to the bus station." Masamune called, standing up and stretching.

"N-no, that's okay!" Rin called in a rushed voice. "It's still light out, so if I run I can make it there and home before dark." She waved her arms in front of her quickly, as if to ward off evil which, in her opinion, Date Masamune was.

Masamune only smirked and said, "No, I insist. A girl like you could get hurt, walking on the streets by herself." He took her around the shoulders and led her through the door like she was a lost sheep and her face turned red.

_Arrogant, stupid, stalking- _She continued her list of insults as they walked quietly together down the bustling streets of Date. When they reached bus station Masamune said with a grin, "See you tomorrow, Rin!"

"Sure!" Rin called, stepping on, not exactly matching his enthusiasm. He continued waving as the bus pulled away and Rin settled herself by the window.

Yup, Date Masamune was definitely one weird guy.

* * *

A/N: Alright! This is my first time writing a modern fanfic in my entire life, and I know I've been using this 'couple' a lot now, but I haven't watched a lot of anime recently so the only one I know to a fairly good degree would be Sengoku BASARA. ... Plus, I've noticed the lack of modern stories here, as the series is meant to take place in the 16th century, so I thought I'd add my ideas to it.

This stays fairly consistent with my plot from _A Dragon and His Shadow_, the first fanfic series I had dedicated to this show, with the added modern events and minus all the magic (which is kind of saddening to me D:).

I don't really know a lot about Japan by itself... Other than a bit of its culture, so I had a really difficult time understanding the modern day cities and provinces, like how the Mutsu Province/Oshu ect. is now split up into four different prefectures and thousands of itty-bitty cities. Ah... You'll have to excuse my ignorance! This is so very difficult for me! ;_;

In comparison to _A Dragon and His Shadow_:

- Rin is, yet again, in debt to Date after breaking a vase this time, instead of getting medical help from Date like before. ... As it's pretty unlikely Rin would get into a gun fight in the middle of modern day Japan. Unless she was a part of the mafia... Or something equally ridiculous...

- Unlike my other series, Rin is aware that she had met a boy when she was seven and had gotten close to him, but she doesn't know it's Masamune personally.

- Rin does have an accent when she speaks, but she's managed to conceal it pretty well since she first arrived in the city. It's only really noticeable when she's over flustered or angry.

- I was originally going to make this a readerXDate fic, but I don't like having to write "you" "you" "you" all the time, so I gave up and just decided to use Rin. Sorry I'm so predictable... -sniff- Plus I really wanted to use the phrase, "Some where far, far away, in a parallel universe". xD

And that's about it for now. Unlike my other series (I feel like I've said that a lot, sorry!) these chapters won't be +200 pages long and should be easier to swallow. So basically, it won't be episodic with a beginning, a climax, and resolution all in one chapter, but you should be expecting a few cliff hangers every now and then. ... It's been a long time since I've done short stuff. ^^

I thank you for reading, and I hope I can get through this series along with the other stuff I've been writing!

As usual,

ありがとう!

- Jackal

(Augh, I'm only one chapter in and I'm already beginning to hate writing modern fics. -_-;)


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter ****Two**

Alright, so imagine an enormous city, and for simple imagination's sake, imagine it as 100 squares by 100 squares. You have a 10,000 square grid. Now, divide each 100 squares by ten and then those ten squares by ten. Take the seventieth square in the fifth row of the seventieth square in fifth row of the main idea for example, and now imagine an apartment. It's about one-tenth of that seventieth square in the fifth row of the seventieth square in the fifth row.

This apartment is not particularly special or extravagant, as it has only two different rooms total per room, but it worked out just fine for Rin, and it's what she called home.

"I'm home!" she called to no-one in particular, but her cat, Dandelion, and her dog, Poplar, who each greeted her cheerfully. She laughed as they both pounced on her and she said, "Hey guys, how are you doing?"

They yipped in response and she smiled. Yes… This is home.

After taking care of Dandelion and Poplar, Rin plopped herself down at the computer, flipping it on and waiting patiently for it to load. It was still fairly new, a used computer that was only a year or so old, but it was still pretty slow.

As soon as it turned on a message popped up, "Rin-chan, go 2 chat now!1 – Yukimura"

She laughed and quickly logged into the chat room, **TakedaArmy**…

– **Kazehaya has entered the Chat room –**

**CubofKai**: Rin-Chan! sasuke and kasuga-chan are fighting again, help! ;_;

**Kazehaya**: Oh, another lover's spat? Even on the internet? You two must really care for each other…

**Venus-chan: **Lovers? please, Rin-chan, we are anything _but_ lovers, especially when it comes to something like this! seriously sasuke, you do not, I repeat, _not_, eat your rice flooded with soy sauce! Not only is that plain nasty, but you could seriously have a heart condition later

**Talon**: Are you kidding me? The soy sauce is the best part! _ What do you think Rin-chan?

**Kazehaya**: oh well… To be honest… Rice and soy sauce sounds pretty nasty

**Venus**-**chan**: See?

**Kazehaya**: But, I've never really tried it before. If you bring some tomorrow, I'll try it out for you Sasuke-Kun, and then we'll talk.

**Talon**: Ha! Take that Kasuga-chaaaan!

**Venus-chan: **Ugh, you're all morons…

**Talon:** Hm, speaking of morons… Where did our Sanada Yukimura go? He's been quiet this whole convo

**CubofKai:** srry guys, Oyakata-sama was scolding me for not folding the laundry properly…

**CrimsonShinigami:** so why do you insist on calling him "Oyakata-Sama" in the first place? It seems a little weird when you don't even live together...

**CubofKai:** -shrug- It just became a habit ^-^

**Kazehaya:** Ah, sorry guys, Poplar is begging for a walk right now. I'll see you tomorrow! .

**CubofKai:** bye, Rin-Chan ^^

**Talon:** And I won't forget the soy sauce tomorrow!

**Venus-Chan**: You'll regret promising him to eat that you know, and for the record, if you die of a heart attack, I'll be laughing… Yes… I will be laughing hard.

**- Kazehaya has left the Chat room –**

Rin smiled, those guys… She really had to love them.

"Alright Poplar, time to go— damn it Poplar, really?" She froze when she saw Poplar's mess and he seemed to laugh, 'Well, it's your fault for taking so long.'

Rin sighed, "Alright, I see what you mean… Let's just clean it up and go." Sometimes she really wished she didn't have a dog, they can be such demanding pests sometimes…

* * *

"_Oi! _Rin! _Rin!_" And speaking of demanding pests. Rin groaned as she turned to see who it was. Yup, definitely who she thought it was. She continued walking without stopping, and Date panted when he finally caught up to her. "Honestly Rin, you're trying way too hard ignoring me."

A vein popped in Rin's forehead as she replied, "And you're trying way too hard catching up with me."

Masamune thought about it for a second and then laughed, "Yeah, I guess you're right there."

Rin couldn't help but smile but when she looked at him, she sighed. "So where do you get off, thinking you can get away without wearing your tie like that?"

He glanced down and then laughed, "Whoops, guess I forgot it today."

Rin rolled her eyes, "Yeah right. That might have worked during the first week of school, but it doesn't now that it's been six weeks. So what really happened?"

He shrugged, "It must've gotten mixed up in my sock drawer. Though if you really want to know, I just don't want to be the same sort of clone Oda Nobunaga wants me to be."

"Oda… Nobunaga?" Rin asked slowly.

They stopped as Masamune stared at her, "You don't know who Oda Nobunaga is?" He asked incredulously. Rin shook her head and he laughed, "You know, for a student with a scholarship, you'd expect them to at least know the principal. Do you know who the vice principal is at least?"

"No," Rin said, feeling somewhat embarrassed. He was right, she should know these people, and yet, she didn't. Maybe it's a country girl thing.

"Akechi Mitsuhide…" Date trailed off and Rin looked at him. _Why does he seem so nostalgic all of a sudden?_ Rin cocked her head to look at him from the side and he suddenly snapped his attention back to her, he grinned and said, "You'd better do your research on these guys, Country Girl, before I overthrow them!"

"Heh?" Rin asked, "Overthrow them?"

"Yup! If I can manage to make Oda Nobunaga look really bad, the school board will remove him and anyone else who appears if I work hard enough. Then, sooner or later I'll be able to become principal."

"What? But that's not possible, you're a student."

"Yeah, but my father was the original founder of this school, so technically I could be the principal if I really wanted."

"Not with your grades…" Rin muttered.

"Ouch, that was harsh." Date said with a grin and Rin blushed. Oops, he heard.

She laughed but when Masamune looked at her and smiled, she blushed. "Wh-what? You're staring at me and it's really weird, is something on my face?"

"No, just thinking that you're pretty cute when you smile and laugh like that…"

Rin's face turned redder as she stormed off, "Yeah, yeah, let's just get to class you jerk!"

"You're also cute when you're angry, you know!"

"Shut up!"

Masamune only laughed and trailed behind her.

* * *

"Furthermore, ice is an important property to humans," Uesugi Kenshin concluded, "And it has a multitude of different uses."

"I don't see why Kasuga-chan likes this guy so much…" Sasuke grumbled beside Rin, "He seems like a total fruit head to me."

"Sarutobi-san, would you like to do the next problem? Page 135, please." Uesugi smiled his polite "interrupt-my-class-and-I'll-kill-you" smile as Sasuke reddened and flipped through his text book quickly.

"Sure, um…" Rin covered her mouth to stifle her snicker as he shot a sideways glare at her.

"Very good Sarutobi-san," Kenshin smiled again, "Now the next problem, who would like to do that?"

The rest of the morning went by sluggishly… And at some point Rin found her eyes wandering to the back of Masamune's head. She studied it, even from behind, he was pretty damn hot.

Suddenly he turned around to reply to someone behind him and their eyes met. _Oh shit. _His eye held hers for a moment and he winked. Rin blushed furiously and glared right back, quickly hiding her face with her text book as she waited for the heat in her cheeks to die down.

She could only imagine what he was thinking right now. She sighed, _how embarrassing_.

* * *

"Alright class, time for lunch," the substitute teacher said dismissively.

Rin got up to stretch as Sasuke put his books away. Yukimura walked over to join them and Rin asked, "I'm going to go buy some tea, do you guys want anything?"

"Tomato juice!" Sasuke said immediately, grinning widely and Yukimura smiled.

"A bun would be nice, do you want me to come with?"

Rin smiled brightly and said, "Nah, that's okay. I'll be back in a few minutes."

... Or would she?

Rin wondered as she looked down one hall and then another, trying to remember which way to go. The closest vending machine should be in the D-hall on the second floor, right? So where the hell was that?

_Tap, tap_.

"Huh? Oh, Kotaro-kun, hey what's up?" Rin slowed down as the silent boy caught up to her. He shrugged and she smiled, "Are you getting food from the vending machines as well?"

He nodded, _'yes_.'

"Great, can you show me where they are? I always seem to get lost…" He nodded again and she laughed.

"Alright then… I've got my tea, but Sasuke-kun wants tomato juice and Yukimura-kun wants bread… Hm… He never said what kind of bread though…" Rin tapped her chin thoughtfully.

_Tap, tap. _Kotaro tapped her shoulder again to get her attention and pointed to one of the buttons.

"Oh? Yukimura likes red bean paste buns?" He nodded his head, "Thanks Kotaro-kun, you're really helpful." He smiled and Rin paid for the items. "So how is Hojo-sensei? I hear he's retiring soon."

They started walking back to where they came from when Kotaro held out a hand and shook it side to side, '_so-and-so._' He mimicked a sort of bent over stoop and grimaced as if he were in pain and Rin laughed.

"Oh, I see. Hm… By the way, would you like to join me for lunch? I know I haven't spoken to you much in class, but Sasuke-kun and Yukimura-kun and I all eat there, so if you wanted to join, you could. Kasuga-chan likes to visit too."

Kotaro smiled but shook his head 'no' and shrugged, "Going to see Hojo-sensei?" Rin translated and he nodded. He held out his left hand tapped the top of each finger, "Maybe some other day, right?" she asked.

He nodded his head.

"Okay then, I guess we part here. It was nice talking with you Kotaro-kun!" Rin waved and Kotaro smiled back in his serene sort of way, _what a sweet guy. _Rin thought cheerfully. _He may not speak to anyone, and tends to isolate himself, but he really is a sweet heart. I hope we can be better friends soon._

Rin was practically skipping as she went up the stairs when, "Oof!" Something hit her and she fell backwards. _Shit! _Her foot slipped on one of the steps and she was falling backwards when suddenly a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist in time, pulling her back to safety. The tomato juice can fell with a clatter a few steps down and Rin mentally hit herself for dropping Yukimura's bun as well.

But never mind that, "Hey, sorry about that, are you okay?" asked a voice as Rin blinked a few times in confusion.

"Ah, yeah, I think so, tha-" Rin looked up.

To see Date Masamune.

And they were surprisingly close.

Her face turned bright red and she turned to face him and pushing his chest to try and squirm away. "Hey, what's your **_hurry_**?" Masamune asked with a grin as he tightened his hold around her.

"N-nothing! I have to get back to class!" Rin stuttered and Masamune laughed at her embarrassment but still wouldn't let go. Rin sighed as she calmed down and said, "Now please let me go, Date."

"Not until you give me a thank you kiss," Masamune's grin widened as he teased her and her face got even redder.

"Just let go," she mumbled. "We're attracting people…" Even though she hated it, it was true that they had attracted a small crowd of people and Rin could feel the jealousy and hatred emanate from Date's "fan group" as she shrunk against him, trying to hide herself as well as possible without pushing herself too closely to him.

"What, no-"

"Rin-chan! I'm glad I found you!" called a voice. Rin looked past Masamune to see Yukimura who was walking down the stairs, "We've been waiting for you, where have you been?"

He seemed to ignore Masamune and Rin was finally able to escape his clutches when he turned his attention to the other boy. She bent down to pick up the red bean paste bun and then hopped the few steps down for the tomato juice she had dropped, looking up towards Yukimura from the tops of her eyes. It was so strange, she had never seen Yukimura so serious, and for the most part, neither Masamune.

"Ah, Sanada Yukimura. It's been awhile since we've come face-to-face, **_you doing okay_**?" Masamune grinned cockily as Yukimura glared.

"I'm fine, thanks. Just came to save innocent girls from your hands."

Masamune laughed and shrugged, "How **_noble_** of you. Guess it **_ends here_** though. See you later, Rin, Sanada Yukimura." He shoved his hands in pockets and walked the other way and Rin sighed. She would definitely be hearing this later that afternoon.

"Ah, thanks Yukimura-kun," she said quickly as she joined him at the top of the stairs and the crowd began to disperse.

"No problem," he said cheerfully. They continued on together down the hall as Rin rubbed her temple with her right hand. Yup, she would definitely get an earful from Date today.

* * *

"Hey, Rin-chan, what took you so long?" Sasuke called from his desk and he and Kasuga turned to face their approaching friends.

Rin tossed the tomato juice can to him and he caught it with a quick word of 'thanks' as she said with a sigh, "Sorry, I, ah… Got a little lost, that's all."

"Hm, still getting lost, huh?" Sasuke asked, grinning and Rin smiled wearily.

"I suppose so…" she glanced at Yukimura who had quietly opened the bag to his bun and he sent a quick glance at her before looking away. _How odd…_

"Anyways," Sasuke said with a grin and pulling a bottle of soy out, "I brought my soy sauce today, so now you can try-What the hell…?" He blinked a few times at the empty bottle and then groaned, digging through his bag and face palming. "Damn it."

"What happened?" Kasuga asked.

Sasuke sighed sadly as he stood up and said, "The stupid bottle broke and the soy sauce leaked into my bag so now the whole thing reeks. I'll be right back, and- hey, stop laughing!"

After a shared look between Kasuga, Rin and Yukimura, they all burst out laughing as Sasuke watched them despairingly before joining in. Finally, with a collective sigh Sasuke said, "Alright you jerks, see you later."

"Serves you right!" Kasuga called after him and Rin laughed again, forgetting about her previous encounter with a certain one-eyed boy.

* * *

Unfortunately she was reminded of it as soon as said boy approached her desk as school ended, later that day. She shoved her textbooks in her bag quickly as he stood by her desk and said calmly, "**_Hey_**."

"H-hello," she mumbled, fumbling with the buckle on her bag. She stood up and started walking towards the door and he followed silently.

Outside the sun was still shining brightly but Rin felt somewhat cold as she walked beside Date, who was still as quiet as ever.

"Date," Rin said quietly, unsure of what to say. He stopped walking but didn't turn around to face her.

"Why do you hang out with guys like him?" he finally asked.

"Eh?" Rin stopped walking as well as she quirked an eyebrow questioningly. "Guys like who?"

He turned his head only slightly to look at her out of the corner of his left eye and clarified, "Sanada Yukimura."

"Well…" Rin paused as she thought about it, and then said slowly, "I guess... Because he's a nice guy, that's all, why?"

He shrugged and started walking away, "No reason."

Rin didn't follow him as she thought about what he said but suddenly it hit her. She jogged to catch up with Date and stopped in front of him, spreading her arms out and grinning, "You wouldn't, by some chance, be _jealous_ Date, would you?"

He looked at her blankly before shrugging and smiling nonchalantly, "And what if I am?"

"And here I thought all you wanted was to sleep with me. Does that mean you have a crush on me or something?" Rin asked with a grin and poking into his cheek lightly, trying to provoke him.

"I wouldn't call it something as petty as that," he said calmly. Then he smirked as he grabbed her hand and pulled her in close as he said, "Though I suppose it's something similar. You were closer when you said I wanted to sleep with you."

He leaned in so their foreheads were touching and Rin blinked a few times, this time the one caught off guard, as Date stared at her calmly. They stared at each other for a moment and Rin finally pushed herself away, turning so he wouldn't see her face flushing as she mumbling, "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Masamune said, walking behind her and saying into her ear, "That I like you Rin-chan." He grinned as her face deepened visibly and he continued walking his way home, his words echoing throughout Rin's head the whole way there.

* * *

A/N: Oh my lawd, this series got popular so quickly. lol.

I feel like I frog leaped from step 1 in the relationship process to step 8, but that's kind of because I want to move this series over pretty quickly.

Ahh, I don't have much to say for this chapter...

Though I did have fun thinking up chat names for the characters here. I kind of just used the names used in Devil Kings, the first American dub of the Sengoku BASASRA video game series which I absolutely love with a passion, but also despise because they changed all the names of the characters and pretty much removed any Japanese historical references, but anyways, I want to do more "chat room" scenes in the future, so hopefully I'll get there.

anyways, thanks so much for all the support and I hope I make it to the next chapter. It's somewhat questionable. -dies-

- Jackal

(lol, I'm really bad at math, so don't take the beginning of this chapter too seriously, my math is probably off. xD Also, the names "Dandelion" and "Poplar" refers to the main character Tanpopo from Imadoki! and her pet fox Poplar. I thought the names were cute and decided to use them... He...)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter ****Three**

_It means, that I like you... It means… That I like you… That I like you… That I like…_

"**_Yo_**, Rin. **_You doing okay_**?"

Rin jolted in her seat to meet the cool gaze of Masamune who sat just beside her. His cheek rested in the palm of his hand as he watched her with his left eye. Her cheeks flushed as she turned her face away from his as she replied indignantly, "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

He shrugged nonchalantly and said with a smirk, "No reason at all. You just seemed out of it. Is something wrong?" His smirk widened as Rin turned to face him again and glare.

"As if you didn't know!"

He closed his eye with a sort of satisfied smile and he replied easily, "Hm… Afraid I don't. It wouldn't be anything I said yesterday, would it? Because I wouldn't want a certain student teacher of mine to lose her **_cool _**because of wandering fantasizes."

"_No_!" Rin huffed and turned to look away angrily as Masamune let out a short laugh. They sat together in an awkward silence until the teacher started class, which reminded Rin to curse her vaguely beautiful young teacher again.

If it weren't for her, Rin wouldn't have had to sit next to this one-eyed idiot in the first place. Their homeroom teacher, Mouri Suzume, recently returned from the hospital and decided to change the seating arrangement.

It was simple really, draw a number between one and twenty-six and find the corresponding desk for your new seat.

And, as Rin will forever remember to be an unlucky number, she picked twenty-two. It was all well and good too. Until she found that her new neighbor was none other than Date Masamune.

Of course.

As soon as she saw her real homeroom teacher, she fell in love with her cool behavior and soft voice but really, if she hadn't decided to change the seats in such a dangerous manner this wouldn't have happened.

Really, Rin should be blaming her own rotten luck for this…

She sighed, and right after Masamune had confessed to her too. It really made Rin want to just punch something.

After they had reached Masamune's room the previous afternoon, Rin found it difficult to concentrate on their work and it irritated her when she saw that it had no effect to her companion. You'd think that he, the one who had just told her how he felt about her, would be at least a little flustered but nope. Apparently embarrassment wasn't a term Date Masamune knew.

_It means that I like you._

_He was so warm when he held me..._ Rin thought, her mind wandering again. She rested her cheek on her hand and closed her eyes. _And his cologne smelled nice too... _Rin blinked a few times as her last thought registered in her brain. She shook her head furiously, mentally slapping herself a few times. _No, no, no. Stop being so hung up about it, Rin. _She tapped her notebook with her finger anxiously now._ Just… Have to focus on class…_

* * *

"Kazehaya-san, someone's here to see you."

"Heh?" Rin wiped her hands on her apron as she turned to face the entrance of the restaurant and groaned when she saw who it was. She approached Date with her arms crossed as she said irritably, "What did I tell you about visiting me while I'm working?"

He laughed and said, "**_Chill_**. I'm only going to be here for a few minutes."

Rin sighed and uncrossed her arms as she asked, "Alright, what do you want?"

"Hm, well I want a lot of things," Masamune said, tapping his chin as if he were actually thinking about the question.

Rin rubbed her temples, "Wait, let me rephrase that. Why are you here wasting my time when I have work to do?"

"Kojuro's across the street with Suzu _Onee_-chan and Kanon-sama, and they're busy talking, so I decided to come on over and pay you a visit."

Rin blinked a few times, "Suzu _Onee_-chan? Kanon-sama? Who are they?"

Date looked at her for a second before laughing good-naturedly, "Oh, that's right, I guess you wouldn't know them. Well, I mean, you know Suzu _Onee_-chan at least."

Rin thought about it for a moment before doing a double take, "You don't mean our homeroom _teacher_, do you? The one who recently returned from the hospital?" _And the one who cursed me to be your seating partner for the next few months? _Rin added mentally.

Masamune nodded as he grinned, "Yup."

Rin sighed, "Honestly, where do you get off thinking you can treat people so informally like that?"

He laughed again and said, "Well, she's Kojuro's fiancée for one thing, and for another, she's not our teacher outside of school."

"_Really_?" Rin asked in disbelief, "They're going to get married?"

"Someday," Masamune said nonchalantly, grabbing a menu from the podium in front of him. He made a face and laughed, reading out loud, "Sushi with doughnuts? Who'd eat that?"

Rin bit back a laugh but couldn't stop herself from smiling and forcing out a semi-annoyed tone of voice, "Don't change the subject."

Masamune shrugged, leafing through the menu, "Well, what else do you want to know? They're just Mouri Motonari's older sisters, that's all."

"Okay, so who's 'Kanon-sama' and why do you treat _her_ with so much respect? Is it out of admiration or something?"

Date looked back up at Rin with a shudder and said, "More like out of fear than respect."

"Fear?"

He nodded, "Kanon-sama is Suzu _Onee_-chan's younger twin sister and she runs the antique store just across the street. Her specialties are drinking and blackmail."

"So that's what that store is," Rin said thoughtfully, glancing over at the little store. It was small, with only two tiny windows on either side of an even tinier door. A faded sign read 'Antiques' in gold lettering and to be honest, the building looked like it could do with some TLC.

"On the outside at least. They do odd jobs too upon request and even fortune telling," he continued.

"Hm… I always wondered what that building was and I've wanted to visit, but I've never found the time..."

"Let's hope you never do," Masamune said, going back to the menu.

"Why not?" Rin asked curiously.

Masamune sighed, "The problem with Kanon-sama, is that if you enter her shop alone with no intention of buying anything, she always figures out a way to manipulate you into doing her work for free. The scary thing is that even if she hasn't met you, she has the perfect blackmail prepared and she always gets her way in the end. In fact, if you enter her shop at all you'll be walking out with _something _whether it being a delivery job or a newly bought item."

"Oh? Is that why you use '-sama' for her even when she isn't around?"

He nodded, "I'm not sure how, but she always knows when I don't. _Always_. And trust me, I always pay for it, so it's safer to just do as she asks no matter how **_ridiculous_**." He slid the menu back into place on top of the podium and pushed his hands into his pockets. "Suzu _Onee_-chan is _way_ nicer, but to be honest, they're both kind of weird. I guess it's to be expected though, coming from the Mouri family." He shook his head.

"Mm… Hey Date, can you take me there someday?" He eyed her as Rin continued, "I'd like to see what they sell but you said not to go alone so… Can you take me?"

He smirked, "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Rin's face flushed as her eyes widened. She waved her hands back and forth excitedly and quickly stuttered, "O-of course not, stupid! I'm only interested in what they sell, that's all!"

His smirk widened as he said, "Sure Rin, whatever you say."

Rin sighed in annoyance, trying to will her face to cool down, "Never mind, _forget it_, I'll ask Kasuga-chan or someone… Or better, maybe I'll ask Yukimura-kun. He'd be happy to go without harassing me." She watched in satisfaction as Date looked away, somewhat wounded by her last comment.

"I'll go with you," he said simply and with an air of finality. Something in his pocket vibrated and he pulled out his cellphone, quickly skimming the text before looking outside.

Kojuro waved from across the street and Rin recognized their teacher at his side, their arms just barely brushing. A woman who looked just like their teacher stood beside them and Rin guessed her to be Kanon. She was an exact replica of their homeroom teacher but instead of keeping her long, black hair down, she had pulled it into a high ponytail.

"Well, guess I've gotta go," Date sent a backwards wave as he headed towards the exit. "And for the record," he paused before turning back to smile at her, "I don't think Sanada Yukimura is as good a kisser as I am, nor is he as good in bed."

He grinned as Rin's face reheated itself, "Just go _away _already, you jerk! I'm busy!"

Masamune laughed as he left, "Later!" he called.

"Sex offender!" she yelled back.

_That jerk! _Rin thought angrily turning on her heel and gripping the cloth she had left to return to her task of cleaning the table. _What made him think I even want to kiss him? Who the hell does he think he—arrgh! _Rin's cleaning speed increased as her fury rose and a mother with her daughter quickly pulled her away from Rin's emanating anger waves.

_I will never, for as long as I live, fall for a jerk like Date Masamune!_

* * *

A/N: Famous last words, right? :)

Well, I made it to chapter three, and I couldn't have done it without all the positive feedback from you guys. ^^ Seriously, I depend on all of you to write, so thank you so much, I really appreciate it. (especially my reviews!) I hope this chapter was satisfactory too. And uhh, look out for chapter four. :D

- Jackal

(By the way, I demand those of you not following this story to follow it! You must, I command you! ;P)


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hey! It's been a while, huh? I guess it's been almost two months since the last chapter, right? Well, sorry about that, but besides that I am very happy to announce that this series will indeed be a good one and has a very secure future. In the course of the time I haven't been active, I have worked very hard and very faithfully on this _entire _series and am glad to say got almost about… I'd say at least 55% of the whole thing done. (Wow.)

I've got the basic plot, course of events, and even a few chapters and side stories all written out (if not loosely) and will appear very soon – after I fix some hitches and add little bridges here and there, and then it's a go. I actually even have a bit of the _final _chapter written, as totally **_crazy_** as that sounds, and because of that I know what I want to do once I finish the series completely, so obviously I'm going to really have to work on finishing it entirely.

I know this author's note is already a bit lengthy, but I also wanted to just quickly add that because I've had so much time to work on this story (due to an unfortunate turn of events in my real life (yes, I do have one outside of writing sappy fanfiction, thank you very much :)) the chapters are a little more lengthier and have gotten a lot more detailed/complicated.

I can't say for all of the chapters just yet, but from here on out, I think it's going to become more of a real story and the chapters won't just be some short, frivolous, two page things like what's been going on for the last three chapters… I know I may lose some readers because, I admit, lengthy fanfics are just too much for me but at the same time I think it "adds some meat to the bones" and will make the story _much _more enjoyable and _much_, much more interesting. At least, that's what I think. That's not to say there _may _be a few [super short chapters], but most likely not.

And so with that, I conclude this author's note, worthy of a chapter by itself, and present two, yes, count them, **TWO **(originally one now split in half due to length :P) shiny new chapters, to you, my good reader. I hope you appreciate them. Thank you and enjoy.

(Oh, and thank you _again_, everyone, for all your positive feedback. As you all well know, I thrive on it like Mitsunari Ishida thrives on hair gel. ^^)

* * *

**Chapter Four**

The rest of the week and part of the next went by uneventfully… Rin went to school and did her work beside Masamune during class, as usual having to ignore sly comments and his usual smirk, and then in the afternoons of Monday and Wednesday tutored him for about an hour and a half before rushing out and escaping from yet another round of sly comments and ever present smirk.

Until then, Rin had taken the bus home in the afternoons but after overhearing another customer's conversation at her job, she found out that by taking the train just fifteen minutes away from town would take her bring her in the area of her apartment just as quickly as by taking the bus, if not sooner.

Granted, it would take a little extra time to get to from Date's home and she'd really have to jog for it on those days, but it would be well worth it because she knew that young Date had his own lessons with Kojuro after their sessions and wouldn't have enough time to walk her to the train station, thereby freeing her of him sooner. Him and his damned smirk. (_Curse that smirk, curse it!_)

It also gave her an excuse to leave in a rush whenever Date approached her about the subject of visiting the antique store. He had made several attempts already but Rin had managed to change the subject brusquely or leave him hanging. After figuring out his current tactic was moving unsuccessfully, the one-eyed teen tried another method of easing her into the topic instead of simply jumping into it.

He thought about it for a long time until an idea finally came to him. A good one too and one he had wanted to bring up anyways, so he figured that he might as well try now.

"You know what I just realized?" he started the next morning. So far so good. After all, this was just going to be a normal conversation so he used his typical laid-back way of starting any conversation in the morning.

"That I don't care about your social status and that I'm not interested in sleeping with you?" Rin asked sarcastically and taking her seat beside him. She pulled out her notebooks and began laying her pencils around them.

"Ouch, that was a **_low blow_**." Masamune laughed, always amused by her hostile behavior and catty remarks. "No, I realized that you don't have a cell phone."

Rin's face turned slightly red as she continued in her sarcastic voice, "You're right, how very observant of you. I don't."

She started unpacking her text books somewhat roughly now as Date continued smoothly, "Yeah, and it's a total drag because I have no way of contacting you since you refuse to give me your screen name, so I always have to just wait until I see you at school."

"_So_?" she asked slowly and apprehensively, not quite sure where this conversation was going now.

"_So_," he mimicked, "I'm only saying that there's no way for me to contact you outside of school, that's about it, **_really_**."

Rin blinked slowly and asked, "Well… No… But why would you really need to? It's not like you actually take your studying seriously."

"To ask any _educational _questions I might have," he said with an odd sort of smirk that made Rin become slightly uneasy. She stood up now just to make herself appear bigger but continued organizing her desk as she thought of a response.

Finally, she stopped her motions to place her hands on her hips and sigh, "So what, you expect me to go out and just buy a cell phone, just so you can harass me without having to be physically present? No, thanks." She leafed through one of her notebooks and thought vehemently, _Even if I did have the money to buy a one, I still wouldn't use it to contact you._

After that depressing thought Rin mentally hit herself because all their talk of phones suddenly reminded her that she had to fix the one in her apartment, which reminded her about her rent. And then paying for her rent reminded her of all the costs that were starting to build up and that she was still heavily in debt to the very person sitting next to her, which would probably take the whole school year and then some to pay off…

Plus, she still had Dandelion and Poplar to take care of… She knew she should have just told her sister _no _but she couldn't resist Hotaru's innocent face and authoritative reasoning (a mix of things Rin thought impossible) and ended up bringing them both to the enormous city and tiny apartment.

How many extra shifts would Rin have to take to pay for all her costs?

As many as she had to, she suddenly decided with grim determination. She would do any job for as long as she had to if it meant she could climb out of the pit of debt dug by Date Masamune… But… If she had to take any more extra shifts at the restaurant, really a small café by the name of _Kai_, she knew it would eventually drag her down.

Rin suddenly groaned and put a hand over her forehead in distress. The thought of it all made her want to just lay her head on the table and cry. Life was so much more hectic in the city than in the country...

During her moment of silent battle Date had watched her wrestle with her thoughts in silent amusement before sighing again and putting a hand to his heart mockingly, "You really love living up to your name, don't you? Cold. You know, you're killing me with it right now. Keep it up with this intensity and one day I'll be nothing more than Date Masamune, a handsome ice figurine with too many good qualities to count."

Rin turned her head away and covered her mouth to hide her sudden snort and Date grinned behind her back. "Moving right along then," he continued brightly, "You won't have to go out and buy one because I've already got one here for you."

She looked back at him in surprise as he held out a small, crimson phone. It didn't have a cover and was so small it fit into the palm of his hand as easily as a skipping rock.

He slid it to the right to reveal a tiny keyboard and said, "Simple, reliable, and not at all expensive. I didn't think you were into flashy stuff like other girls or would want anything too big, so I went with this, but if you don't like it I'll give you the receipt. It's under my name though so I'd have to go with you."

"D-Date… No way, you didn't-" Rin stuttered, in complete shock.

This was, _by far_, the _craziest_ thing Date Masamune had ever done for her. … Or maybe the second craziest thing. The first was his sudden confession. Or had that become the second? Rin wondered because suddenly this seemed even crazier than male teenage hormones acting up.

He seemed to have ignored her because he continued, "I didn't know what kind of email name you wanted either, so you aren't fully registered yet to email anyone but you can at least call and I've already added my contact info for when you're ready. You can email when you think of a name. Mine is," – he pressed a few buttons and then showed it to her. He grinned, "'Dokuganryu - . com', **_cool_**, huh?"

Finally Rin's voice seemed to return and she said angrily, a tiny bit of her natural country accent showing in her voice, "What the _hell _were you thinking? I can't pay for this! If I could, I would have bought a phone for myself ages ago so I wouldn't have to be in even _further _debt to you! Haven't you realized that _your _definition of 'inexpensive' is different from _my _definition?"

Date's eyebrows rose in amusement as she crossed her arms furiously, the way she had spoken taking his attention away from her actual message. "Huh, so you _do _have a country accent, it's just something you've learned to hide. **_Interesting_**, I was wondering if you were really from the countryside or not or if that was just some kind of weird rumor."

Rin suddenly blushed and said crossly, remembering to use her normal city vocabulary and enunciating her words properly this time, "It happens sometimes when I'm pissed, okay? I _hate_ it and it's _annoying_ and it's_ not _what we're talking about right now."

"**_Don't worry_**, I think it's cute, you should use it more often. Though I'm not sure how seriously people will take you. Brains and country accent doesn't usually mix well," Masamune teased with a playful grin and waving his hand dismissively. Rin's blush deepened even more.

"Just shut _up_ already. I'm not going to take the phone," she put a hand on her desk to support her weight, "The bottom line is that I can't pay for it right now and it would only increase my debt to you."

"Debt?" He asked again. He thought about it and then started laughing, "Oh, you're talking about the debt for breaking that vase all those weeks ago, **_right_**?"

Rin scowled disgustedly at him, "What, you _forgot _already? You've got to be kidding. I've been tutoring you for almost _two months _to pay off that monster thing and you just forget?!"

The other teen had started laughing even harder now and finally with a mischievous gleam in his eye and in between breaths choked out, "I guess I should mention that you finished paying for that just after yesterday's study lesson, huh?"

Rin's jaw dropped and she loosened her arms in surprise, "_What_? But you said that was a priceless family-"

"I lied," he said nonchalantly and calming down, an amused smirk now plastered on his face. "Sorry. It was actually a _copy _of a priceless family heirloom." He looked away thoughtfully and said, "The real one is with my mother and do you think she trusts me enough to leave something that valuable behind?"

Rin looked uncertainly at him and said, "Well… Why not? You're the 'master' of the house and it's obviously important to your family, so… Why wouldn't she leave it to you?"

Date rolled his eye and laughed sardonically, "'Important?' _Please, _I'd actually _pay_ you to go and break the real thing for me if it weren't for the fact that she'd immediately suspect me." He laughed bitterly at that idea and Rin finally cooled down enough to uncross her arms completely, but she still wouldn't take the phone or sit down.

"You sound like a close knit family," Rin stated sarcastically, thinking about her own "close-knit" family.

"Oh yeah, _real _close, my mom and I," was a muttered reply.

With a tired sort of sigh Rin sat down and started reading her notes and he rocked his chair on its back feet casually. They sat silently together until Date asked again moments later, "So, will you take it then?" he held the cell phone out to her. "I'd feel better if you did anyways. You _are_ a girl after all, and you have to take the train to get to your apartment every day now. It was better when I could walk you to the bus stop but you obviously don't want me to."

Rin looked at him out of the corner of her eye but wouldn't respond, preferring to edit something in her notes and he sighed. "**_Stubborn_**. **_Come on_**, what do I have to do to make you take it? Lay off on all the innuendos? As much as I'd miss it, I'd stop if it meant you'd take the phone. I mean, it's not like I'm asking you to actually use it for anyone other than me _and _I'm paying for it so what's your problem?"

Well, when he put it _that _way… What _was _her problem? Rin blushed lightly but continued with her work silently.

Was he serious? Did he really care about her, (no, about her _safety, _Rin corrected quickly, _not about her_,) enough that he was willing to stop or, as she knew would be more realistic in his case, _ease_ his favorite past time activity?

After another long gap of silent rebuttal Rin finally placed her pencil down and with a resigned sigh, held out her hand and said, "No… I'll take it… But only if you promise not to send me anything inappropriate. And I'm still going to pay you back for it, okay?"

Masamune grinned brightly, "**_Sure_**. That takes no skin off my nose." He tossed it to her and said, "But I think you're making life too hard on yourself. I mean, you could have just gotten a free cell phone but you're so stuck to your **_pride_** you're willing to pay for it, even though you didn't want it in the first place."

"Wouldn't you do same?" Rin asked, fumbling as she caught it and then looking somewhat dejectedly. Why on Earth _did_ she do this to herself? Really? Did she _like_ making herself miserable?

The one-eyed teen thought about it for a moment and then replied honestly, "If I were in a position like yours? Probably not, but that's what makes you **_special_** I guess." He laughed again before propping his cheek on his hand, now satisfied to watch Rin toy around with the new phone. She rolled her eyes and clicked the keys experimentally.

"By the way, I'm free on Tuesday if you still want to go visit the antique store," came a sudden off-handed remark moments later.

Suddenly Rin's face flared again and she coughed. "A-ah, really?" she asked timidly, her fingers shaking slightly now. Crap, he caught her off guard. She knew there was something fishy about this cell phone business, he had been leading her up to that topic and was just waiting to catch her and now that she had just placed herself under his debt again... Agh, where was their teacher to begin class when they needed her?

_As expected, _Date thought with a smirk. "Yup, long way away, huh?"

That's right, today was Thursday. He was going to wait four days before taking the opportunity to 'go out' with the girl he supposedly liked? That seemed oddly out of character. Rin looked up at him in surprised and asked, "But what about our study session Monday? You aren't free to do it then?"

"Ooh, looking forward to our 'not-date'?" he teased, his usual playful grin on his face.

She only rolled her eyes dismissively and was quick to excuse, "N-_no,_ I was just wondering is all. I thought you'd want to go as soon as possible and offer today or even tomorrow, since I don't have work."

"Well I would, but unfortunately I have to go to out of town for some **_crazy_** meeting for the city with Kojuro this weekend and I'm going to miss school tomorrow and Monday, so that also means we won't be able to do our usual study session," he said with a mock remorseful sigh. "And I was _so _looking forward to re-evaluating the Sengoku Period with you."

"I see…" Rin answered, ignoring his sarcasm.

"So how about Tuesday?"

"Ah…" She looked away but a thought occurred to her, "Oh, but I have work Tuesday, remember? This weekend too… And tonight," she muttered. She needed the money, she reminded herself again.

"You work too much," Date commented in a monotone voice. Then he said thoughtfully, "Since your shift is tonight, I'd offer this afternoon, but I have my sword battle training with Kojuro today anyways…"

"'Sword battle training'?" Rin repeated. She laughed, "And when will you ever need to use a sword? We live in the Twenty-First Century, not the 1500's."

Masamune laughed as well, "**_No idea_**, but they aren't bad and it's something my family's mastered since practically the beginning of time so it's one thing I can't afford to miss. And besides, it's something like **_stress relief_** for me so it's not really a problem." He suddenly got a far-away look in his eye, "I actually have to work even harder now; more than ever because there's going to be this giant competition coming up, so I have to be prepared. You should come and watch sometime, I could use your resilient support and cruel affection."

He grinned and she blushed and said sarcastically, "Right, as if I'd ever go out on a _real _date with you."

"You never know," he said with a smirk. "Things can change. I mean, what do you consider what we're trying to plan right now?"

Rin rolled her eyes but didn't say anything and wondered when they would ever be able to do this, she reminded herself, _field trip_. Not. Date. The thought of it possibly being a date made her too… Uneasy? Queer? She didn't understand what the feeling was exactly, but she did understand that she didn't quite like it.

And if spending a few minutes not studying with Date Masamune was going to be considered a date, Kazehaya Rin would never acknowledge it.

_Never._

Finally Date said, "Well, we could always just use Wednesday and cut into our study time then. I've been a **_good boy_**, getting good grades and what not, and I think I could use a break. What do you say Teach?" he teased her again and she couldn't help but laugh this time.

"Fine, but five minutes _only_. That's _all_ I'm giving you," she said firmly.

"Five minutes? That isn't nearly enough time, so how about fifteen?" he asked with his trademark smirk.

"Ten."

"Thirty."

"_What? _You're tripling it _and_ you're going the wrong way!" Rin argued and throwing her arms up in exasperation but he only shrugged.

"Well that's what happens when your tutor tries cheating herself of a **_party_**. Besides, you're the one who's so curious to see **_what's up_** over there _and_ you were the one who asked me to take you in the first place. Remember?"

Rin blushed again, "W-well, yeah but I just wasn't thinking about who I was talking to at the time… If I had remembered it was you, I probably wouldn't have said anything."

Date sighed, "Well, moving that aside, you _did_ ask and I agreed, so I'll take you." He watched her as her face cooled down and then said, "I know for a fact you're never going to make the same mistake twice, at least with me, and if I'm correct on who'll be supervising at the time you'll only have one chance to go safely, so you'd better go now." Rin wondered what he meant by all of this but didn't say anything as he asked, "Don't you want to take your time?"

Rin sighed, not really seeing his point entirely but following what he was saying. Besides. He was right. She _was _curious about it and she _had_ asked him to show her. Plus, he had said it wasn't exactly a good idea to go alone and if it was really so dangerous to go at any other point this would be her only chance because he was also right when he had said she would probably never have to ask him to go again… Finally she said, "Okay, okay, you're right. It was my stupid idea in the first place…"

"So, you'll share just half an hour with me on Wednesday afternoon?" Masamune asked with a small smile.

Rin shook her head and said firmly, "Twenty minutes. That's _all_ I'm giving you."

He sighed remorsefully, "**_Alright_**, twenty minutes and then I'll be back slaving over work I couldn't care less about. At least I'll be in the presence of attractive company, as cruel as it may be. You know, you're one **_strict _**lady."

Rin shook her head and said a little playfully, "It's for your own good, Date." He snorted bitterly and returned his cheek to his propped up arm but didn't say anything else so she went back to playing around with the cell phone, which she had been holding loosely until then. What sort of name should she use for her email?

"Though," Masamune murmured thoughtfully more to himself, "Time sure does fly in that shop… Who can really say how long we'll be in there for…"

Rin looked back at him again in surprise, "Huh? What do you-?"

She was cut off as Mouri Suzume entered the room and after reaching her desk immediately said in her calm voice, "Class will begin shortly after roll call, please return to your seats."

And everyone listened.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"What?! No_ way!_" Kasuga said breathlessly during lunch later that day. Yukimura and Sasuke had left in search of their usual afternoon snacks and Rin had just finished recounting her morning to her friend.

Rin only nodded as she pulled the top off her red lunchbox. Since she was _completely_ culinary incompetent, her lunches and dinners were usually whatever leftovers her job generously handed out and today it was just white rice, some greens, and a few other little things. She relied on her job to eat every day and they didn't always have extras, so she accepted every opportunity gratefully.

Kasuga turned rosy pink with excitement as she cooed, "Ah, Rin-Chaaan, you're moving up in the World of Womanhood! You're going on the first date of your _life_ and with _Date Masamune_! He may not be a good friend of mine, but that's really something! You really hit the jackpot!"

Rin wasn't convinced.

"If it weren't for the fact that you're just going after school I'd force you to take me to your house to set up a special outfit or something," Kasuga said regretfully. "Guess I'll just have to wait until the next one."

"Next one?" Rin asked irritably. She shoveled some rice in her mouth and said indifferently, "There's never going to be a 'next one' because this isn't going to be the 'first one'." She rolled her eyes and said matter-of-fact, "You know, you really shouldn't get so worked up Kasuga-Chan. We're only going to take a quick twenty minute look at the most, so that's hardly something to gloat about and besides…" she swallowed her food. "I already told him it's not a date so it's not like he'll be attempting anything romantic." _Probably_, Rin added mentally. She wasn't actually too confident about that last part but she stuck her tongue out to show how completely uninterested she was otherwise.

"_You didn't_," Kasuga said, suddenly looking vicious. Rin nodded and Kasuga abruptly placed her lunchbox down to start slapping Rin lightly on the head, her blows becoming slightly more abusive with each whispered scream, "Are_. _You_. Serious_?!"

Rin, who surrendered her lunch equally as quickly to defend herself, said with a laugh, "Of_ course _I did because I already told you I'm not interested in him in _that _way or in any other way for that matter, so there."

She pulled away from Kasuga and mentally nodded with herself in agreement, as she was suddenly reminded of the last afternoon he visited her at work when she had sworn she wasn't interested in the young man and never would be. She _also_ remembered bitterly how hard she had to work afterwards after realizing that, in her fury, she had scrubbed the restaurant table so hard she had left something scarily similar to a burn mark in one area and the table somewhat thinner on top…

"But… Date_ Masamune,_" Kasuga whined dramatically, finally retreating back to her meal and waving her chopsticks around. "Current name-keeper of our city. Youngest Master of the Oshu District. The One-Eyed _Dragon,_ for gosh sakes. He couldn't possibly have any _more_ fame for someone our age than he already does."

"The One- Eyed Dragon..." Rin murmured to herself, "So that's not just a pretentious nickname for him his stupid fan girls made up for him? He's actually called that?"

Kasuga nodded, "Of course. You didn't know?"

Rin only shook her head, "I thought he just called himself that to sound cooler or something..." They ate in silence for a moment as Rin thought about it and Kasuga about what else to say to prove her point.

With an idea in mind, Kasuga bit into a cold dumpling and then said as an afterthought, "If it weren't for the fact that he's only interested in you and that Kenshin-Sama is really the better man, I'd go after him myself."

Rin raised an eyebrow questioningly, "But what's so great-?"

Kasuga quickly hit her lightly on the head again, "_Everything_, silly. But," she paused thoughtfully, "He'd better shape up soon or else the Oda Corporation will overtake the city. If we aren't careful, we'll be living in Oda City for the next couple generations and to be very honest I'd much prefer it Date City." She shuddered and said slightly melancholic now, "Oh, I do wish Kenshin-Sama would step out of his inactive stoop. He must have some sort of plan to rise to power being planned out secretly…"

Rin just laughed. This city and their politics… It would seem that it was an ongoing feud between all the major corporations for the ownership of the city, obviously the current strongest and well prospering company getting control and the title of the land.

For the last few generations or so the Dates had been in the lead, but with old Date Terumune deceased now the care had been left to his eldest son Masamune, who was clearly not ready for the role of Keeper and because of that the true "Keeper" of the city had been left open. As young Date was being trained to become Keeper however, the other prominent families like the Takeda, the Uesugi, and even the Mouri began rising in power.

Even more particular were the Oda family, a somewhat ruthless family business that mostly took care of the education system in the area. They were also the leading industry in Western weaponry like fire arms and lately they've been gaining even more support in that area which was why Masamune seemed so bent on ruining the school's reputation, as it was the only area he could attack at his age.

It should have been easy but being who he was, young Date could really only do so much to sabotage it. Playing as the rebel took careful consideration because he knew if he went _too_ far he could end up losing all respect for his family and possibly even lose his chance at becoming Keeper, and that definitely didn't look good for him in the grand scheme of things.

There were also supporter families to consider in this dangerous game of power, like Sanada Yukimura's, who had proudly supported the Takeda clan for generations and minor support families like Fuuma Kotaro's who, although currently on the Hojo family's side, did not stick with any one family for long.

And then there were even smaller people like Rin.

Single, biotic creatures whose family came from even tinier branches of industry that flowed with the wind in the sky of government power and who only happened to give funding by pure coincidence.

But, as if her opinion mattered, if anyone, Rin would probably say she whole-heartily supported the Takeda clan, if only for Sasuke and Yukimura. She could even say she partially helped the Uesugi clan for Kasuga. Of course, things could change…

Everything was so much simpler out in the countryside, where who controlled what didn't matter and they simply bought the products they needed from whoever, paid their taxes, and just _existed_… As a part of the farming community, Rin's home town was part of a minor branch whose opinion in political matters was as close to important as the silkworms they raised.

With a sort of pang, Rin realized that she kind of missed it. Her home and everyone who lived there… The clear blue sky and the practically empty streets… The simplicity of it all… _But then_, she reminded herself, home meant Mother. And Mother meant unhappiness.

She shook her head to clear it and returned to the conversation at hand, "Alright, whatever you say Kasuga-Chan, but just so you know, no matter how powerful he may be, I do_ not _like Date Masamune. I've already said that at _least_ a thousand times and I'll continue to say it for you if I have to."

"Mm-hm, sure you don't," Kasuga said unconvinced, a smug little smirk planted on her pale face. She flipped her blond hair over her shoulder cattily and remarked, "You know, things change."

"I don't," Rin said firmly, taking a determined bite of food to close the case.

Finally Kasuga jabbed her chopsticks at Rin again and said passionately, "Just _admit_ it already! You have a crush on Date Masamune and you're just too stubborn to confess it! I mean, he's been pining after you since the moment you walked in the school doors, how could you not feel _something_? _Anything_?"

Rin shook her head in disgust this time, "We've only really known each other for a few weeks Kasuga-Chan, that's hardly enough time for any sort of romance to bloom, even if that includes spending about two hours a week to tutor him."

"I wouldn't say that," Kasuga sang cheerfully. She sighed dreamily, "I mean, for me it was love at first sight, as you well know."

She giggled cheerfully at the thought of it and Rin sighed resignedly, pointing her free finger at her stuck out tongue and pretending to gag, "_Right_, well, not exactly everyone has the same sort of luck with love as you do."

Because she was seen so often with her and the other two, Rin had initially figured Kasuga supported the Takeda branch, but it was actually completely different. Rin had been surprised when she found out that the young chemistry teacher Uesugi Kenshin would be the only one Kasuga would ever 'serve', as she had said it, and she was practically bent over backwards on starting a relationship with him despite the fact that he was a teacher and at least seven years older…

_It makes her sound like some sort of kunoichi serving a warlord in the Sengoku period_, Rin thought with a fond sort of laugh and she chewed her rice thoughtfully. _Oh, Kasuga-Chan… Ever the lovesick teenage girl._

Rin sighed and decided she would never know what it was like to be madly in love. Or at least in the same way Kasuga always described it.

Kasuga suddenly cried ardently, "I mean, _come on _Rin-Chan! I can't believe the fact that he bought you a frickin' _cell phone_ and you can still look me in the eyes and say you didn't think it at least _somewhat _attractive. Or kind? Or _sweet_?

"He worries about your safety and it's so painfully obvious that he likes you, I could cry an eighth ocean."

"Sea," Rin corrected her half-heartily. She chased a clump of rice around the bottom of her box slowly. True, she _had_ been taken aback by his concern and he _did_ always seem to be able to make her a _little_ more aware of herself when they were together, but was it enough to say she had any _real _affectionate feelings for him like love or were they simple spontaneous bursts? The first seemed too extreme and the second too weak to even consider.

That reminded her that she had still failed to tell her blonde friend about Date's confession that one afternoon. Kasuga would be furious if she knew Rin had been hiding it for so long, and she knew that, but then again, why work her best friend up any more than she already was? Rin decided to wait for another day, though she knew that the longer she waited the greater Kasuga's fury would be the day she spilled the news.

She shuddered at the thought. Oh boy, was she going to be in for it. She couldn't even imagine the magnitude of Kasuga's reaction to the news. She was definitely going to be in for it when she found out and Rin knew all too well that she would. Sooner, if not later. Kasuga knew everything that went on in that school and somehow word about it would get out, even if Rin glued her mouth shut with super _super_ glue. Kasuga knew all.

Rin shuddered again.

Kasuga was so passionate about everything when it came to her friends and romance; it was something Rin loved about the blonde girl and she wished she could be the same sometimes. Though, as an afterthought, it probably took too much energy.

"Well, whatever. _Anyways_," Kasuga said in a sure voice, gripping her chopsticks tightly and using yet another variation of one of her favorite phrases, "I'm practically on the verge of tears with how predictable this is. This will be the start of a long chain of successful dates in which Date Masamune will sweep you off your stubborn, cemented feet-" Rin choked on her food but Kasuga ignored her and continued, "-and then you can help him maintain the city until I finish school and marry Kenshin-Sama and we take over in your place.

"You're going to need my help and I can give you some good pointers on dating. So ask away, I'll help you as best I can."

Looking back at her friend, she finally seemed to notice that Rin was choking and she hit her on the back a few times. When she calmed down Rin coughed out, "Now I _know_ you're insane. Marry Date and take control of the city? Like _hell! _Where did you even pull that out from? How'd we even get from an insignificant _twenty minutes_ to _marriage? _Not only that, but you totally just ignored everything I said about not caring about this city's politics!"

Kasuga rolled her eyes, "Well, what else do you see yourself as, other than Date Masamune's wife? Nothing less I hope, you're worth more than that to him."

"I don't see myself as his _anything!_" Rin practically screamed exasperatedly, "Because I _don't like Date Masamune!"_

Suddenly the classroom was quiet and everyone around looked over to see what the commotion was about. Rin blushed and muttered an embarrassed, "Sorry." She was _so_ glad that the young 'dragon' liked to walk the halls during their lunch period rather than stay in the classroom…

When their other classmates decided there wasn't anything worth listening to and went back to their own work, Kasuga said calmly, "You know I don't say things like this often because my mother would probably disown me if she heard me say it, but _just let go of your female pride_ for this one time and accept the fact that this is going to be a really important day in your life. Life _changing _even."

Rin glared and then snapped, "How the hell is that going to be 'life changing'? It's a twenty minute trip to an _antique_ store. That's hardly anything to-"

"_Regardless_," Kasuga continued firmly, "You're spending time with him outside of school for the first time ever and you won't be tutoring him. It's going to be the day-"

"I made one of the worst decision of my-"

"That will start something truly _special_ and will soon lead you to becoming Date Masamune's-"

"Hey, we're back!" interrupted another cheerful voice. Kasuga glared as Sasuke walked in with Yukimura shortly behind him.

"Sorry we took so long," Yukimura apologized sheepishly as placed an armload of bread buns on the table. A can of instant coffee rolled to edge of the desk and fell but he caught it deftly. Rin applauded him and Yukimura bowed courteously. Rin laughed and thanked him for it as he handed it to her.

"Yeah, stupid faulty vending machines took ages." Sasuke complained and taking a seat beside Kasuga. "They had said they fixed them ages ago but obviously they lied."

She sent a quick glare of annoyance at him to message him to shut up, and after his eyebrows raised questioningly and backing off she turned back to Rin and said grimly, "Just you wait. My prediction is completely accurate and when it happens, you'll be over your knees apologizing for ever not listening to me or asking for my advice sooner."

Rin only rolled her eyes but didn't say anything and Sasuke and Yukimura looked between them nervously.

"So, what were you two females discussing?" Sasuke asked interested moments later and opening up a bag of chips. "You seem oddly more worked up than usual Kasuga-chan, and that's saying something."

"Oh, just female things," Kasuga said vaguely, responding in the same way as she cooled down her fighting spirit. She was somewhat annoyed now that she had calmed down because she had really been on a strong case. Cases like these always excited her, this one in particular as Rin was involved. "We would have been able to continue if you _males _hadn't interrupted."

"S-sorry," Yukimura said uneasily. He turned to Rin with a blush and said hastily, "We could eat somewhere else today if you-"

"Don't worry about it Yukimura-Kun," Rin consoled quickly, "Kasuga-chan was just being her usual melodramatic self."

She sent an irritated glare at the other girl as she sniffed haughtily, "Only because _someone _at this table_, _I don't want to name anyone in particular, is being a stubborn mule and needs someone to boss her around." The two glared at each other again and Sasuke rolled his eyes now.

"_Females_," he said with an exasperated sigh. With his mouth full of potato chips he said to Yukimura, "Discussing their vague female ways in vague female talk so we simple-minded males can't understand."

Finally Rin laughed again and said, "Come on Sasuke-kun, quite talking like that, it's giving me a headache."

"Righto," Sasuke said cheerfully. "By the way, Rin-Chan, don't think I've forgotten about your promise to try the soy sauce-rice combo, I've just been waiting for another sale on my favorite brand so you should be able to try it soon. We have to use it _exactly _for you to get into the unique taste of soy sauce and rice. You'll love it!"

"What are you, a Soy Sauce Connoisseur?" Kasuga muttered sarcastically as Rin replied with a laugh, "Oh will I? Don't worry about it Sasuke-Kun, I'll try it whenever you get the chance. But we never did say what we should do if I ended up disliking it."

"Impossible," Sasuke said with a grin but then, "Buut…"

"He'll be paying your hospital bill," Kasuga said, still sarcastically, "Honestly, I can't believe you're still willing to try it Rin-chan."

She shrugged, "Anything for my friends, Kasuga-chan."

"If that were true you'd go out with You-Know-Who," Kasuga sniffed.

"'You-know-who'?" Yukimura questioned turning to Rin.

Rin only snorted, "You mean that one character from Harry Potter? Sorry, he's fictional."

"_No!"_ Kasuga said exasperatedly but after glancing at Yukimura she didn't say anything else. It was best not to mention their One-Eyed topic of subject in front of him.

Yukimura still looked at her with questioning eyes and she sighed, "It's no one Yukimura-kun, don't worry about it. Kasuga-chan is just making things dramatic."

"So anyways…" Sasuke said, trying to return to their other discussion. "What do you want me to do?"

Rin thought about it and then said, "I don't know. It has to be something as equally bad as my reaction to it."

"But that could be a whole range of outcomes," Sasuke complained, "I mean, what if you make it sound worse than it really is? Then Kasuga-chan would bully me like crazy and harp about how 'she was right'."

"Well if it's as good as you say you won't have to worry, right?" Kasuga asked calmly and going back to eating her food. Rin and Yukimura laughed.

"You know I'd never do that to you Sasuke-kun, as hilarious as that may be," Rin giggled.

Sasuke finally sighed remorsefully, "Well, _alright_ then, if that's what you want to do. Just try not to make the penalty too harsh, I _am _a sensitive boy after all."

Rin laughed and held her hand out for him to shake, "Well, then it's a deal Sarutobi Sasuke."

He grinned and did the same, and they shook.

* * *

A/N: I had so much fun trying to incorporate the Sengoku Period into modern Japan it was ridiculous, but I think it's gotten a little more complicated because of that. Politics. They're so difficult.

I'm still coming up with different businesses for the characters to run, but so far I have the Oda in education and fire arms, Uesugi is in the ice cream business (lol), Takeda runs the food business and he's also an ex-military general (it's fitting!). Ujimasa Hojo is a retiring history teacher and his family runs a museum, the Mouri runs a solar energy company and creates glass works (and occasionally suntan lotion, lol), Chousokabe does party costumes, Date leads the silk and sword industry aaand... Am I leaving anyone out? Oh, Tokugawa does mechanics (not sure what kind exactly, I guess auto-repair?) and the Maede own the flower and garden business. See, I had too much fun with this. ^^

Another thing, I'm really having fun shaping the character's personalities and I love Kasuga's personality especially so I _really _want to build more on it and you'll probably see her in a lot of upcoming chapters. I'm also going to build a lot on Suzume and Kanon Mouri (the other OCs I mention) because they end up becoming super important support characters for the plot in general, but that'll come up later.

I'm somewhat complete with the next two chapters at this point, but there's a lot of cleaning up to do so I can't exactly say when they'll come out. Until then, thanks for reading and I'm sorry I took so long. My health has recently declined in a rather dramatic fashion and it's scrambled a lot of my life up now, so I'm trying really hard to recover from it. But don't worry. I'll get it straightened out sooner or later. ^^

Thanks for reading and I hope to see your page views in the next chapters! ;)

- Jackal


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The next five days went by quickly, much quicker than Rin had possibly hoped for and she soon found herself on Wednesday morning. _Alright Rin, today's the day… _Rin thought, studying herself in the bathroom mirror. _Today's the day you said you'd visit that antique store with Date._

She ran her comb through her straight bangs again somewhat nervously and then caught herself. Wait a minute. _Nervously_? She looked at her hand which shook only slightly. Was she actually nervous about this meeting with Date?

But why? She had already decided this wasn't going to be any different than when they got together for his study sessions. In fact, they were only going to take a few minutes before they continued said meeting, which was for educational purposes entirely.

But… No… Maybe not… Something told Rin that this twenty minute trip to a shabby old shop would be different. It would be… Special.

She had set time aside for him. She was going to spend twenty minutes at a shabby old shop with Date Masamune, not discussing different study tactics which he would pointedly ignore or twist into some sort of sexual reference, and that counted for something, right? A small smile finally broke onto Rin's face and her heart fluttered until she quickly shook her head in disgust.

"Ugh, for the love of-! Forget it Rin," she finally said to her reflection. "This _isn't_ a date. It's only twenty minutes, you've told yourself that a million times, all right? That's. All. Get over yourself or Kasuga-chan will gloat." She stepped out of the bathroom after a disgusted click of her tongue and then headed for the door. Poplar wagged his tail and barked with his usual cheerful smile on his face and Dandelion settled contentedly beside him from Rin's bed.

"I don't like Date Masamune in _any_ shape or form," Rin told her pets firmly while reaching the door. She gripped the handle tightly as she thought about it and the two animals looked at each other unconvinced. Rin shot a quick look over to the mirror on the side of her dresser one more time before saying, "And I certainly don't want to impress him."

She ran a hand down to smooth her uniform one last time.

* * *

"Good morning Rin-chan~" sang a smug female voice as Rin entered the school building.

Rin sighed. She knew exactly who it was greeting her and _exactly_ what she was going to gloat about. "Good morning Kasuga-chan," Rin mumbled back gloomily, only slowing down slightly for the other girl to catch up.

"Good morning," Kasuga repeated, flouncing to her side and asking innocently, "Is it me, or do you look particularly _fresh_ today?"

"It's you," Rin answered immediately, blushing and becoming slightly defensive. Without even really realizing what she was doing, she _had_ done a little more that morning… But only a little… Really… A little… And suddenly she was alarmed that Kasuga had picked up on it so quickly.

Kasuga smiled sweetly, recognizing the bluff just as quickly as it had been issued. "Oh, are you sure? I just thought you had taken maybe a _baby_-extra step to enhancing your female charm today… You know, in preparation for a certain twenty minutes?"

She giggled as Rin rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, her cheeks slightly red, "Oh yeah, I added an extra layer of 'I-don't-care-about-Date-Masamune' today, I'm glad you noticed."

"Well, obviously not enough because it clearly isn't doing its job properly," Kasuga added with another giggle. "Would you like some help? I always carry make-up with me if you need more and you know I'm always one with advice and experience to share."

Rin shook her head in disbelief. "You really have _not_ listened to a word I've said, have you?"

"Oh, I have," she said with a sad sigh, "Loud and clear. I just choose to ignore it." They had reached the floor with her classroom first and she called cheerfully, "Well, have fun on your date Rin-chan. Please know that I'm wishing for the best outcome for you~ All my fingers and toes are crossed!"

"It's _not_ a _date_!" Rin yelled back exasperatedly. "And _nothing_ is going to happen!" but Kasuga's tinkling laughter was her only response. Rin shook her head in annoyance and continued up the staircase. She practically stomped up the stairs as she thought, _Kasuga-chan, I love you dearly but sometimes you can be such a-!_

"Good morning Kazehaya-chan, is something the matter? You look upset." A smooth voice broke through Rin's thoughts as she reached the next landing of stairs and she was surprised to see her homeroom teacher, looking as collected as ever stand waiting for her at the top.

"Ah, g-good morning sensei, and no, nothing is the matter." Rin bowed quickly. "I'm sorry if it seems that way." She straightened up to study her teacher.

Mouri Suzume was a young woman of twenty-four but she had an air of maturity about her unlike any other. Her long ebony hair was cut into four different layers; the longest uneven layer ending at mid-back, the second at her shoulders, the third at the chin, and the final that was parted to the right and was just past her dark brown eyes.

She held the second layer in a half ponytail with a red ribbon and three tiny, silver bells that liked to tinkle softly every time she moved hung at each end. One more swayed on each end of the ribbon but both were usually quiet and although she tucked her hair behind her ear often, a tiny sliver of it rested across her forehead and refused to cooperate, no matter how many times she fought it. Her clothes mirrored her hairstyle in the sense that she liked layers.

Today it was a short maroon vest on top of a black turtle neck shirt with one sleeve rolled at her elbow revealing a leather wrist band and the other partially hiding her hand.

A large brown belt held her dark skirt at the waist and two matching belts crisscrossed just below it. Below the skirt, slim white pants were cut off at mid-calf by dark leather boots which were laced accordingly. Hanging at her side was a light purple drawstring bag and what looked like a black pearl, which could have been a cheap necklace but it made Rin wonder about it because it didn't seem quite normal. It seemed to give off a gentle glow and a spiritual sort of feeling.

Overall, Rin thought she was actually very fashionable, but she couldn't say very teacher like. Her personality seemed to make up for it though because when she spoke, people listened and practically fell over themselves to please her. Something about her just seemed extraordinary, _but in a good way_, Rin decided. She wondered why.

Suzume nodded, "I apologize if I seem nosy or inconsiderate, but you still look very upset."

Suddenly Rin remembered that she was supposed to be annoyed with Kasuga, not observing her homeroom teacher and said, "It's nothing… Really, I'm just a little…" she searched for the right word, "Confused… About… A certain upcoming event."

She knew she was being vague and made about as much sense as two and two summing up to three, but Suzume nodded as if it made perfect sense. "I see," she said simply, not pressing any further. She motioned for the two to start walking again and Rin followed.

They climbed the next set of stairs together in silence but when they finally reached the top the older woman said, "Well, I don't think you should ponder it too long Kazehaya-chan, it isn't worth the worry. Everything will be fine."

Rin blinked in surprise at the sudden comment and asked in confusion, "_Sensei_?"

They stopped again just outside their classroom before Suzume repeated simply, "You'll be just fine." She smiled her vague, but kind, smile and then said "So if you'll excuse me now, class will be beginning shortly."

She waved Rin inside and she automatically took her seat beside Date, still wondering whether her teacher knew what was going on when a voice asked, "Something the matter?" Rin turned to see Date in his usual laid back position and he grinned and held a hand up in greeting. "**_Yo_**."

She shook her head and pulled out her notebook, muttering quickly, "It's nothing."

He smirked, "If you say so."

* * *

"So then, **_are you ready_**?" Date asked as soon as class was dismissed.

Rin took a deep breath as she put her books away but didn't answer. She watched the other teen from the corner of her eye as he smirked and put his books away as well. They packed their things silently together and when they each finished she finally replied, "Yeah, yeah… Just remember that it's only going to be twenty minutes."

He shrugged and said, "Yes, but twenty minutes none the less, right?"

She sighed, too tired to argue anymore. "Alright then, let's just go…"

He gestured for her to start walking and off they went.

* * *

They got to town as quickly and, for once, quietly. Date apparently having nothing to say and Rin not encouraging him. She hadn't noticed how nervous he seemed then, but it became evident as soon as they were outside the door of the shop.

When they reached the store, Rin was reaching for the handle when suddenly Date rushed in front of it and held a hand up to stop her. She looked at him curiously and he asked, "Are you really sure you want to do this? I mean, we could always just spend twenty minutes somewhere else. Anywhere other than here."

"I'm sure," she said, confused. "Why are you acting so anxious all of a sudden?"

He shook his head slowly, trying to find the right words to explain his thoughts. "Because…" he paused before waving a hand at it vaguely, "Because the thing about this shop, and the owners for that manner, is that they aren't exactly… _Normal_."

"Eh?" Rin asked.

Date shrugged, "I don't really know how to describe them, but I think you'll see." He glanced behind him at the tiny postage stamp door and said, "Well, I guess if you're so bent on going in, we should. Time's **_ticking_**, right? And besides, Suzu _Onee_-chan should be in with her, so we should be safe... If not relatively…"

"_Date_," Rin finally said impatiently, having had enough of being kept in the dark about this _supposedly_ dangerous store. "What the heck do you mean by 'safe'? You keep saying 'we'll be safe' if Mouri-_sensei_ is in, but why wouldn't we be otherwise? And safe from _what_, exactly?"

He sighed, "I know but... There are some things in the world that I just can't explain… You'll see what I mean when you get in though, I promise. So **_are you ready_**?"

Rin sighed as well but didn't push him any further. So with a nod, he opened the door and went inside.

As soon as she did, she finally understood Date's unease because after her first step in she got an odd feeling that was like a mixture of relaxation and alertness. As if she had to be cautious here, but at the same time she didn't need to worry at all… If that made any sense.

The floor of the front room was made of differently assorted stones and just spanned past the door, only about seven feet across and five feet moving in. At the walls it stopped below a wooden platform which, after taking a few steps forward became the floor of the shop. Date traded his shoes for a pair of slippers and signaled for Rin to do the same, then he left them on a single tatami mat at the side with his school bag and stepped forward.

He walked in casually and started calling, "**_Yo_**, Kanon-Sama! You here?"

Rin followed him and the small "entrance room", if that's what you could call it, opened into a larger room filled with, you guessed it, antiques. A long untidy counter piled with books and other odd assortments was used to guard a free space on their left and behind it a large bookcase lined the wall. To the right came lines of bookcases and drawers which was what really made the walls of the building as there were close to no empty spaces at all.

Masks, portraits, and other assortments covered whatever bookcases didn't and even the ceiling was host to hanging fixtures like old gas lamps and dusty chandeliers. Even a few portraits had been arranged to line the ceiling and Rin wondered what made gravity seem to stop working here.

Date peeked over the front desk to make sure Kanon hadn't passed out or fallen asleep behind it (like she could sometimes be found happen to) and when he found it clear he said, "She's probably in the back. If she's had a lot to drink the previous night she may hide there, but let me check around first. If we're lucky she may actually even be out on a job." He started walking away but then paused suddenly to say, "Do me a favor and stay put. Don't move _anywhere_, **_alright_**?"

Rin gave him a look of confusion and asked doubtfully, "And why should I-?"

"Just promise. It's safer that way."

Rin sighed; _there he goes again saying 'it's safer that way'_. She was suddenly wondering why they had come here in the first place if Date said she wasn't allowed to look around but she nodded and said, "Alright, I promise I won't go anywhere. Satisfied?"

Date smiled briefly in approval and then drifted off slowly, moving out of Rin's view. Suddenly alone, Rin could really feel the overwhelming atmosphere of the shop pressing in on her. She got the odd sense that she was being watched and the different masks on the wall farthest from her didn't exactly make it any more unnerving. Then, a strange pulling sensation overcame her, and she found herself taking another step forward. And another… And another.

It wasn't until Rin had reached the side of the front desk when she remembered her promise to not to go anywhere and she stopped. It wasn't like Rin to break a promise, as weak as it had been and she mentally hit herself. What _was_ that? That sudden urge to move deeper into the shop? It was like something was pulling her in.

_But, it was only a few steps…_ Rin finally reasoned to clear her conscious and she could see more now that she had moved. She could see that there were four aisles of book cases to the right and that they were all very cramped. Things were just asking to be accidentally knocked over and it looked as if the effect of one push would be similar to knocking over dominoes.

One disaster would just lead to a million more.

She looked thoughtfully at an empty silver birdcage to her left and although it clearly wasn't in use she could have sworn she could hear the beautiful yet miserable trill of a captured bird. The gentle click of beak chewing on bird feed… _I must be going crazy_, she thought, shaking her head. She decided that as interesting as it was, this shop was definitely not normal and it gave her the chills.

She continued taking in everything she could just from where she was when she caught sight of a glass cabinet behind the counter. Something looking like a woman was propped inside and Rin became curious. _A person? _She wondered. She strained to see what it could be but it was further behind the counter and on the same side as her so she could only get an angled view.

She looked around to see if Masamune had returned yet but seeing as he hadn't, walked further in to get a better look. _Just a quick look and then I'll return,_ she promised herself. She was now just a little past the desk, so she wouldn't have to look at an angle. Inside laid a doll, a life-sized marionette of a woman sitting at a slight angle with her head leaning towards her shoulder. A black with white patterned kimono had been loosely wrapped around her thin frame, as if what she wore made no difference to the artist.

The doll's long ebony hair cascaded down her body and pooled around her like silk. Distant grey eyes peered behind a straight curtain of matching colored bangs and two blocks of differently layered hair lay down her full chest.

The marionette was beautiful, but… Gosh, was it lifelike. It became clear to Rin that whoever made the doll had quite a bit of talent when it came to making her look realistic. Then, when Rin looked at it more closely, she realized that the similarities between her and it were slightly disturbing. When she looked at the doll she suddenly got an odd sense of familiarity. Like she had seen this woman, or _puppet_, she reminded herself, somewhere in person.

But where?

Where…

Then it hit her. The doll was her. Or, at least it looked like her, give a few years or so. The only difference Rin could name was their ages and the length of their hair, the doll's being only slightly longer.

She studied it even closer.

Yes. That was her. There was no doubt about it now.

But how was that even possible? It wasn't like she had ever been here before, and she had certainly never met this "Kanon" either. How did this Kanon know her? She suddenly wondered if a certain one-eyed boy spoke of her often and her cheeks heated up slightly at the thought.

"You **_okay_**?"

Masamune suddenly appeared at her side and Rin jumped, her hand flying to her chest. "_Date! _You jerk! Don't scare me like that!"

"This place can really give you the **_chills_** sometimes, huh?" he asked with amusement.

Rin shook her head in annoyance but was immediately grateful for his presence. After seeing that doll, she was fully ready to leave the shop now. "Hey, Date, maybe we should go. I don't think she's here."

He shook his head in irritation this time and said, "I couldn't find her in any of the surrounding rooms, but she's definitely in today. Her coat's here and she never goes anywhere without it, **_you see?_**" He nodded towards a white trench coat hanging on an elaborate coat post with a lion head carved on top just beside the door back on the threshold.

"Well, then where could she be?"

He glanced around again then and signaled, "**_Come on_**… If she isn't here, there's only one other place she could be. The backroom. I didn't go in that far because I didn't want to leave you alone for too long, but let's go **_check it out_**."

"Why don't we just leave?" Rin asked nervously and Date stared at her almost sympathetically.

"Because we've already entered and we haven't seen Kanon-sama and/or Suzu _Onee_-Chan, so we can't leave yet."

"Can't… leave?" Rin questioned, "But how would either of them-"

"They just _know_," Masamune said with a shudder. "It's like they have an alarm or something and they already know who and when someone enters, even if neither are around... Actually, I didn't think Kanon-sama would be so unsociable. She's usually here, in this general area no matter what condition she's in and ready to prey on innocent customers but I guess today is 'special'. But besides that, I have to get something here for Kojuro anyways. Said he needed a book or something..." He started walking but stopped to grin and tease, "If you're scared, you can hold my hand~..."

Rin glared, "Cut it out, will you?"

"Well, maybe _I'm _scared, ever think of that? Maybe I should hold yours instead." Rin immediately folded her arms before he could do anything.

He started laughing as Rin blushed and scoffed, "You? Scared? Yeah, right. You aren't nearly afraid enough to need _my _support." _But I wish you di-_ Rin slapped herself while Masamune's back was turned before she could finish that thought. _No, no, no. Forget it._

She shook her head to clear it and with a resigned sigh, followed him deeper into the shop. They entered the next room which was like the first one and was filled with cases and shelves of an extraordinary range of things and then they turned right into a separate hallway.

From the outside the shop looked to be the size of a matchbox but on the inside Rin found that it was bigger than it seemed. She was glad that Masamune seemed to know where he was going because the shop was suddenly a maze and Rin had no idea how to get back. As they continued on, without her notice, she had somehow drifted by his side but he didn't miss it at all, and wasn't in a hurry to tell her to move.

They walked through a few more rooms and hallways and finally stopped in front of a final room which Rin suspected to be the back of the shop. They had stopped just before the entrance so abruptly that Rin bumped into the other teen.

"Sorry," she muttered but he only pointed a finger in response as a signal to wait, then he entered the room cautiously.

Even from the doorway Rin could see inside and she was surprised to see the sudden change in décor. It was completely different from all the other rooms and she wondered whether this was really the same antique store.

Tatami mats lined the floor and the room was actually almost empty except for a long futon and wood table in the center. The furthest wall was a paper screen door, and there were two closed doors on either side of the room. The door on the left was white with a black dot near the bottom and the door on the right was black with a white dot near the top. It gave a very ethereal feeling to the room. _Like yin and yang signs._

Not only that, but unlike the rest of the shop, which smelled slightly musty and had a still sort of air about, this room smelled strongly of incense and a peaceful feeling ran through Rin. Something about this room set it apart from all the others, something otherworldly, and that was already saying quite a bit.

Date called out louder now, "**_Yo_**, Kanon-Sama, you here or what!"

The door on the left suddenly slammed open and Rin was surprised to see their teacher stagger in with a cold compress pressed against her head. She groaned in a most unlady-like way, "Ugh, for _God's sake_ Botenmaru, keep your damn voice down. I have the worst damned hangover right now and let me tell you, I _am not _frickin'—"

The young woman blinked a few times in surprise when she noticed Rin in the doorway and suddenly she smiled brightly, "Oh, I see you've brought a friend. Sorry you had to hear that, come in, come in. My name is Mouri Kanon, and I am the proprietor of this shop."

Rin walked in quickly to bow awkwardly as she said slowly, "Hello, it's… Nice…To meet you…" she slowed down as she studied Kanon from the tops of her eyes and suddenly she was at a loss for words. Now that Rin understood that who she thought was their teacher was actually her younger twin, she looked again in wonder at the woman.

Kanon was indeed the younger twin of Mouri Suzume, but in every way they were identical, something tipped Rin off that they were complete opposites. Not only in personality, but there was a single trait about Kanon's face that set her apart from her twin but Rin couldn't quite place what it was.

The most obvious difference between the two was the way they held themselves. Unlike Suzume, who stood firmly and respectfully, Kanon was relaxed and kept an air of superiority about her. In addition to that, although their hair was also kept at the same length and even in the same four-layered style, Kanon wore hers in a high ponytail, and was rarely seen with it otherwise.

Rin also noticed that unlike their simple, layer-clothed teacher, it seemed that Kanon liked wearing elaborate and highly revealing clothing, as at the moment she wore a sort of dark, midnight blue kimono that sunk below her shoulders and her black obi did nothing to hide her slim body.

In fact, her kimono was open at the top to reveal a sort of strapless black sports bra covering only her chest, and at the waist to reveal loose black pants that ended at mid-calf. A chunky belt held it at the very start of her hips, just below a toned, pale stomach. Rin suddenly got the idea that Kasuga and Kanon would bond very well if they ever met, with their sense in style practically mirroring each other.

"Like my outfit?" Kanon asked with a grin, noticing that Rin was studying her and twirling to show it off. The kimono fluttered around her like a bird. "It's one of my favorite combinations to wear, but unfortunately it replaces my trench coat."

Finally, remembering that she had yet to introduce herself Rin spoke up, "Uh… I'm sorry, yes, I do, but anyways, it's nice to meet you, my name is-"

"Kazehaya Rin," Kanon finished with another grin. It changed when she smiled in a sort of feline way and purred, "Oh yes, I know all about you… Ah, Boten-Chan, you told me she was cute but I didn't realize she was _that _adorable~ So innocent and unknowing of how things work around here. You should have told me. You know how much I love to mess with new victims."

She walked towards the center of the room and sat down on the futon with a _fwump_ as Masamune said with a nonchalant shrug, "Well, you know what they say. 'Cuteness has no bounds.'"

Kanon laughed, "I think you mean 'beauty', you Turkey Head."

Rin's face flushed and suddenly she wondered, _Boten-chan?... Turkey Head? _She glanced at Masamune but he was completely composed and didn't say a thing about his apparent nicknames.

"So," Kanon sighed, she pressed the cold compress into her head with a wince again and asked, "What brings you to my shop? You usually avoid it unless you know the protection of Suzu-Chan is guaranteed."

Date shrugged again, crossing his arms casually and saying, "No reason really, just having a look. Rin was interested in what your shop did and to be honest, I'd be interested too. You know, you should really consider gritting your teeth and spending the money to get this place renovated soon. It's smaller than a matchbox and it looks as if no one's been here for fifty years or more from outside." He shifted his stance slightly and said accusingly, "You spend money like a drunken sailor on things _you _want, but never on things that are important like your shop and that definitely isn't healthy. Doesn't your idiot-brother help keep track of things for you?"

Kanon sighed, "Well, I _would, _Boten-_chan, _but unfortunately customers just aren't coming like they used to…" She pouted slightly to try and earn some sympathy but Masamune only scoffed.

"I don't believe that at all. You couldn't really be low on cash because even when you're low on clients you still manage to weasel something out of them."

"Heh, you'd be surprised to hear that even despite that all being true, money is hard to come by…" Kanon trailed off and studied her nails offhandedly before asking dreamily, "But on the long run, don't you think it adds character? A sense of mysteriousness and a reflection of the owner's beauty?"

Date rolled his eyes and said sarcastically, "Sure, a reflection of age and her sense of responsibility."

Suddenly Kanon's smile became forced and she said in a sort of strained voice, "Hey, watch it Buster. I've known you since the day you were born and can reveal every embarrassing thing you've done in your short life, so you'd better be more respectful to your elders if you don't want your girlfriend to know about any of them."

Suddenly Rin perked up at the word 'girlfriend' and she quickly stuttered, "Oh, I-I'm not his girlfriend, I'm just—"

Kanon turned to look at her and with that same sort of feline smile purred again, "Of course you aren't, _Princess_, how thoughtless of me…" Suddenly she winced again and with a sort of moan said, "Ah… I really did go overboard again last night…" she looked slightly paler than before and definitely ill, so with a final sort of wave with the hand not covering her mouth she turned and said in a muffled voice, "Go browse around or whatever. I'm gonna go hurl, but I'll… be ba-ack… Ooh…"

She stood up quickly and swayed a bit as she started walking towards the white door. Rin rushed to her side, and placed a supportive hand on her back and her other at Kanon's elbow, then asked, "Ah, do you need help or-"

Kanon waved her hand vaguely and insisted, "No, no, I'll be fine. But thanks… For… Offering…" She pulled away from Rin and slowly made her way through the door.

Date laughed somewhat heartlessly as he called, "Serves you right!"

"Shut up twerp!" was Kanon's reply.

"**_You see_**?" Date asked, moving closer to Rin as soon as Kanon disappeared. "As unpredictable as the weather and a total whack job. But…" he said more slowly, "She was right when she said she's known me since I was born because our families have been something like neutral allies for generations. Plus, there's that marriage between Kojuro and Suzu _Onee_-chan and since Kojuro is a Date family retainer their relationship automatically sort of places the Mouri family under our control."

"I see…" Rin said, suddenly interested now. She would really have to get to know her teacher better. Although she didn't care for the politics side of it, the story of the daughter of a powerful family like the Mouri being arranged to marry a mere retainer (even one as extraordinary as Kojuro) of an even more powerful family sounded fascinating.

Why would they do something like that? Why would they want to place themselves even lower in their political ranks during this time of power hunting? She wondered if love had anything to do with it.

It sounded, Rin blushed at using the term, romantic, and she wanted to learn more about it. Moments later Date asked her, "Hey, now that we found her, it's safe to look around the shop so did you want to have a look around?"

Rin nodded, not even bothering to question him about why it was 'safe' to move freely now after meeting Kanon, and he wandered off somewhere. Rin followed and tried sticking with him but soon she suddenly found herself alone again. She also somehow found herself in the front room again with the female marionette even though she had only backtracked a few rooms.

Exactly how big was this store anyways?

Rin could have sworn they walked through at least seven or eight rooms just to find Kanon, and she thought she had only entered two going back the same way, so how was it she was already back at the front? Rin shook her head. It was the shop playing tricks on her again, that's all. That, or she had definitely lost her mind.

Now on the opposite side of the room, Rin could see the glass case with the doll quite clearly and somehow found the courage and curiosity to study it again. She walked right up to the cabinet, though somewhat reproachfully, and peered inside.

Again, the likeness between the two both intrigued and scared her. Rin knew for sure now that she had never met Kanon prior to today, so how did this woman know so much about her, let alone what she'd look like in the future?

Satisfied now that she had gotten her look at the doll, Rin turned to study something else when another item caught her eye. A simple silver, Asian-style dragon hanging on a matching colored chain hung on a necklace tree by itself, on a bookcase just on the other side of the room.

With a final look at her 'future self' Rin pushed herself away and walked towards the necklace. The dragon faced the left so only one grey-blue eye peeked out at her from behind its coils, which had wrapped to spiral around itself. Rin looked up at it closely.

Something about it… It gave off a strange, yet comforting glow and Rin touched it gently. It swung back and forth gently and Rin took it off the branch to study it more carefully. She felt like she had seen this necklace somewhere else before, but where?

"See anything you like?" asked a voice from behind her. Rin jumped and tossed the necklace in the air in surprise. She caught it quickly and Kanon's mischievous grin widened knowingly.

"Ahh, I see… Pretty, isn't it? It makes a cute anniversary gift too, for girls of course." Kanon looked a little better now than she had before, and she had lost the icepack.

"I-I wasn't-"

"Looking for anything? Most of my customers say that, but they always leave with something…" she picked up a box and studied both sides of it with an interested expression. "Huh, didn't know I still had this," she muttered.

Rin glanced at the necklace again for a final time before putting it back and Kanon looked up at her reproachfully. She said slowly, "You know… Boten-chan, er… Whoops, forget that you kids only use his new name. I mean _Masamune,_" she laughed as she shook her head, "Is practically my brother."

Rin nodded, "He told me likewise. Ah, that you were like his family… Not his _brother _exactly…"

Kanon smiled fondly, putting the box back and studying a strange green object in a flask now, said "And he's been through a lot…" the smile faded slightly as she thought her words carefully, "Too much for a kid like him, and all because of that stupid bit—" Kanon caught herself before she could finish her insult and then looked up at Rin seriously.

There was a sort of determined light burning in her eyes as she said instead, "Women are sneaky, plotting, horrible creatures and he's been through a lot because of them, or at least one, so what I'm saying is that, as his girlfriend, I want you to promise me you won't make him look any worse than he already does in front of _her_."

It took Rin a moment to process everything Kanon had told her but when she did she flushed deeply and said, "B-But I'm not his—"

Kanon grinned, "Yeah, yeah… I know." She rearranged the flask with a small box and mimicked in an obnoxious voice, "_Not his girlfriend_." Finally she sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. She unfolded them again and placed one hand on her hip instead. Now satisfied she smiled kindly, "Hey, you know, I've been really busy lately and I hear you could use some extra money…"

Rin blushed, "I suppose Date-

"Nope, you just seemed the type," Kanon quickly covered. "But anyways, I could really use a hand here in the shop, and if you're looking for some easy cash... How would you like becoming my assistant?"

Rin blinked in surprise at the sudden offer, "Huh?"

"You wouldn't really have to do much either, at least at first. Just little delivery jobs," Kanon continued brightly. She searched the inside of her kimono quickly and pulled out a scarlet sheet of paper, holding it out to Rin and answered her unasked question, "Your application. Read it when you get home tonight."

Rin didn't want to take it. How could she? Her hands were practically tied behind her back with the duty of her waitress job, school, her pets, and her study sessions with Date. Not to mention the duty of keeping _herself_ in order… No way could she take on another job, but…

Something compelled Rin to take the form and somehow she found herself already holding it carefully. She eyed it and tried to start reading it but Kanon clamped a hand on top of hers. She was surprisingly strong for someone so slim. "_Ah-ah_," she scolded with a faint smile, "I told you to read it at home only, you got that?" Rin nodded to show she understood and folded the paper carefully in half. She knew her answer already though.

"I expect your answer after work tomorrow, but don't tell Boten-chan you'll be coming back or he'll be furious with me."

"Did I just hear my name right now? _Kanon_-sama?" Date asked suspiciously, suddenly appearing at the end of their aisle and Kanon smiled brightly.

"Ah, just the man I wanted to see, you almost left something behind."

Kanon placed a hand on Rin's shoulder and steered her towards him teasingly. "I believe _this_ is yours. She obviously has no sense of direction here so make sure you don't lose her in the future_. _You know I hate having to find lost customers, it makes it seem like I'm responsible or something…" Kanon laughed again light heartedly.

"Right, wouldn't want _that_ now would we?" Date asked sarcastically.

Kanon nodded, "Nope. So anyways, it's about time to kick you punks out of my shop. You've been here long enough and neither of you are buying a thing. What a shame."

Masamune hadn't seen Kanon give Rin the paper and he quirked his eyebrow up questioningly, obviously suspicious with the last comment but he didn't say anything and Rin just held the paper carefully as she joined up with him. Finally he turned and he and Rin walked towards the threshold.

Kanon followed them to the door smoothly and watched as they slipped their shoes back on, then waved childishly as they left. "See you soon~!" she called cheerfully.

"**_Yeah right_**, not Rin you won't," Date muttered and Rin thought guiltily, _Only once more, and not for long. _Louder so that she could hear he called and waved without a backwards glance, "See you."

Rin bowed quickly one last time before following Date out and closing the door.

"Yup, I'll be seeing you both again very, _very_ soon," Kanon said to the front door, her all- knowing smile on her face.

* * *

A/N: I feel like I spent a lot of time describing things this chapter... Hm... Sorry about that... ^^;

Anyways, the next chapter is almost ready and will be posted soon. Thanks a lot for reading~

- Jackal


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

The two left the shop quickly and as soon as they walked a good ten feet away Date asked immediately, "What did she give you?"

"Huh? Who?" Rin looked at him in confusion as panic clearly wrote itself across his face a hundred times and then some. When she realized he meant Kanon she asked, "Oh... Why are you so concerned?"

"Kanon-Sama never does _anything_ unless there's profit, so she never lets anyone leave her shop without something whether it's bought or a delivery item and I want to make sure she didn't slip you anything dangerous without your knowledge. I mean, she doesn't even let her own _brother_ leave without taking a delivery package for her! The only exception is Suzu _Onee_-Chan."

Rin showed him the folded piece of paper calmly and said, "Don't worry, it's only a piece of paper."

He studied it from her hand but didn't ask to read it or even attempt taking it. Instead he looked suspiciously at it before saying slowly, "Different… but not unheard of. The items she hands out have ranged far and wide and this looks to be about the safest they can get," he finally decided. "Though I do worry about what's written on it. Did she say?"

"She only told me to read it when I get home," Rin said honestly. "Maybe her 'profit' will be getting rid of out dated paper from her drawers." _Or pockets_, Rin added, since that's where Kanon had pulled it from.

"Right... Well... It's best to do as she says and wait just until then, I guess," He sighed, "**_Alright_**, I guess as long as it's not anything too solid, you'll be okay… Just make sure you don't come back." He then glanced at the clock on his phone and said calmly, "By the way, you're probably not gonna be pleased to hear this but it's just past 4:30, and your train home leaves in about a half hour, right?"

Rin's eyes widened and she said, "_What?_ B-but we were only inside for-"

"Time flies in that store," Date said grimly. "Even though it only felt like thirty minutes, we were in there for over an hour and a half." School ended ages ago and what had originally been planned as a twenty minute meeting turned out lasting over three times as long. It was as if the shop had its own time frame by itself.

Rin groaned. "This sucks…" she muttered. How on earth could she have let so much time slip by without her notice? She shook her head in disgust and sighed, "Well then, I guess I'll just be on my way to the station now... It takes about ten minutes to walk there."

"**_Cool_**, I'll come with," Date said cheerfully.

Rin sighed again. She knew it.

* * *

They got to the station not much later, but they were quiet and each were wrapped in up in their own thoughts. Rin was glad that Date had his own thoughts to deal with.

At first, Rin had thought about the paper Kanon had given her, but her thoughts soon changed to Kanon herself.

She was as odd as Date had warned, but she wasn't intimidating and Rin didn't think she needed to be afraid but… On her guard. There was a sort of mysterious aura around Kanon that Rin had sensed and there was still that one trait about her face, what was it?

Her eyes.

_That's what it had been_, Rin finally realized.

Kanon had had a slight golden tint and animal feature in her dark brown eyes that her twin didn't have and it gave her a sort of all-knowing predator look that, as Rin thought about, looked almost... Hungry.

But hungry for what, (certainly something other than food, Rin had guessed) she wasn't completely sure, but perhaps it was hunger for something more. Something big and it gave her a distinct kind of look. She looked... In a sense, lonely. But never mind that, what really concerned her still was the doll. The one that looked so much like her it was still haunting her very thoughts… But Rin doubted she would ever mature into something as beautiful as that, if anything, it only distinctly looked like her. Still…

"Something the matter?" Date asked, jolting her from her thoughts.

Rin jumped in surprise at the sudden question but was quick to say, "No, of course not."

Date rolled his eye with a smirk and said, "Liar. I know that look. Something is bothering you."

Rin's eyebrows rose questioningly, "And how is it you know me so well?"

He moved closer to her, his arm resting on the back of the bench, and said with a slight smirk, "Because it's like I told you. I like you, so obviously I want to learn more about you."

Rin's face reddened as she tried inching away and she forced out, "So, you're basically a stalker. Well, that's a comforting thought."

Date grinned but backed off, "Basically. So tell me, oh-spacy-one, what's on your mind?"

Rin sighed, her hands fidgeting in her lap as she watched some children play ball in the grass up ahead. "Well, nothing, really," she said slowly, "I mean, it's silly but…" she suddenly said in a rush now, "I saw this marionette at the shop and, well, it wasn't intimidating or anything but… I mean, it was life-like and it looked a lot like a slightly older version of me, so, I just thought that it was kind of creepy... I had a weird feeling about it, like it was alive... or something…?" Rin suddenly cursed herself for rambling like a complete idiot and she expected him to laugh or smirk but when she peeked to look at Date he only nodded solemnly, watching the children play ball with a serious sort of expression. "I see," he finally said.

Rin turned again to watch the kids and they sat in silence again. Finally Date said, "Well, they are well-known for being sort of psychic…"

"Who?" Rin asked.

"Kanon-Sama… Well, her and Suzu _Onee_-Chan actually, but anyways, like I said before we went in, they aren't… Normal." Rin raised an eyebrow questioningly and Date laughed, "Don't look at me like that. It's too cute."

"But what do you mean by 'not normal'?" Rin asked, trying to will her face to not be so red after hearing his last comment.

"Well, you know what I mean, you've met both of them," he said, turning to her. "Different. Eerie. Alien? Don't you get a sense that they're sort of weird when you're around either of them?"

Rin stopped herself from nodding in agreement. Alright, she could see his point, but that didn't answer her question so she shook her head no instead. "Not really. I think you're just making things up. I mean, I guess maybe that shop is a little weird, but you don't really think they aren't human, do you?"

Date sighed, "Well, I don't think they're from outer space, if that's what you think I mean; maybe I'm just using the wrong terms. But if you're ever with both of them together, you'll definitely see what I mean. They're polar opposites and yet exactly the same."

Rin rolled her eyes skeptically, "I'm beginning to think you just don't like the Mouri family, even though you _said_ you were close."

He shrugged and with his usual confident grin said, "Well, we are, but they are still competition after all. And neutral allies or not, they're still a rivaling family for the name of this city, and right now it's under my family so I'm not about to give it up to them. I happen to like my family having an entire city to keep."

Rin shook her head and said simply, "Politics."

Date laughed, "Oh yeah, I forget you're from the country sometimes… That kind of stuff barely even touches you, huh?"

"We're too far out and too insignificant," Rin said with a shrug.

"I wouldn't say that…" Date murmured quietly. "I mean, there was that one time…"

"What was that?" Rin asked, unsure of if she heard properly.

Date sighed with mock remorse, "What a cruel woman you are, forgetting my heartfelt confession like that… How cruel indeed. If you were any other girl, you would have been more than motivated to respond to me, 'specially with a history like ours."

"History… like ours?" Rin repeated in confusion. "What do you mean? I've only known you since the beginning of this school year."

Date shook his head with a sad sigh and suddenly he really did seem a little depressed. "Ah… I see… I guess you're right." He looked away from her and Rin tried catching his glance again, irritated now that he knew something about "them" that she didn't.

"Hey, what are you talking about? Did I know you from some other time or something?"

He shook his head with a disappointed expression but said, "Nah, not really… Don't worry about it."

"But…"

He only looked at her and she finally dropped the subject. They sat awkwardly together when a whistle blew and the train made its presence clear. Date stood up and stretched as he said, "Well then, your train's here. Better go catch it."

He walked her towards the doors and the grinned, "See you tomorrow, Miss Amnesia."

Rin only sighed, "See you tomorrow… Date."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"Welcome back, Rin-chan. I've been expecting you," Kanon's feline purr echoed in the still room and Rin winced but stood on her guard. It was the next day and after several harsh conversations with herself to steel her nerves, Rin finally found herself inside the old antiques store yet again. Kanon was in the front today, as if she really had been waiting just for Rin and she sat on the stool behind the counter casually polishing a black pistol as if it were perfectly normal to be holding such a weapon so nonchalantly.

Rin fidgeted slightly; it had taken a lot of talking into to bring herself back here… She didn't want to admit it, but something about the shop made her nervous and she was almost tempted to ask Date for his help again until she remembered that he had warned her not to come back in the first place.

… And besides, she didn't want him thinking it was another excuse to "go on a date" or anything, _not that the first time had been!,_ she reminded herself with a furious blush. She was just lucky that Kasuga had been out that day and not around to gloat any more than she already had – though Rin knew it was something she would have to look forward to the next day…

Kanon smiled as she took in the girl's discomfort and asked, "So what did you think of my terms? Easy enough, no?" she laughed as Rin glared.

"You mean that red piece of scrap paper?" she asked and then said matter-of-factly, "It was blank. On both sides."

Kanon smiled and motioned for Rin to walk closer but Rin wouldn't move. Finally Kanon sighed and said, "Exactly. Because I have none."

"Then what the hell was the point of giving it to me?" Rin asked angrily.

"Hmph… Kids these days... No respect for their elders at all..." Kanon muttered to herself. Rin only glared as Kanon closed her eyes and she thought about her answer, "To bring you back, of course."

"Bring me back?" Rin questioned.

Kanon nodded, taking her time with her reply. She studied the pistol carefully and said, "You wouldn't have otherwise, now would you have? Answer truthfully now, Princess."

Rin shook her head incredulously, "Of course I would have. I needed to give you my answer anyways."

"Are you sure?" Kanon asked, staring straight into Rin's eyes and suddenly Rin got the odd feeling that Kanon understood everything.

"O-of course…" she said, cursing herself for sounding so unsure.

"Hmph… Well, regardless of whether you would have or wouldn't have come back, if that isn't the case, then you have a question for me that you want to ask but are too afraid to because of the answer…" Rin stared in amazement as Kanon continued impassively, "If I hadn't given you the red sheet to bring back to question about, you would have chickened out and not get the chance ask your question. Am I right?" she smiled her sardonic grin and Rin could only continue to stare in shock.

A long silence stretched between them as Kanon continued to polish her gun. "So…" she asked coolly, "Are you going to ask me it yourself or am I going to have to continue to impress you with my psychic abilities?"

Rin looked away, "W-well… I mean…"

Kanon snorted and waved a hand jokingly, "I'm just messin' with ya, Princess. I'm not psychic or nothing…" she smiled faintly. "Anyways… Your question… You want to know what your relationship with Boten-chan is, right?"

How did she-? _Oh forget it_, suddenly Rin was tired of trying to understand how Kanon knew everything so she nodded and surrendered all natural logic and went with the flow.

Kanon sighed as she stood up and stretched slowly. She placed her hands on her hips and said, "Well alright then, but before that..." Rin eyed her suspiciously and she continued, "You should know by now from everything Boten-chan has told you that I _never _do anything without profit, so here's the deal. I'll tell you what I know about you and Boten-chan if you promise to work for me. Deal?" she stuck out her hand for Rin to shake but she eyed it warily.

It was true that she was interested to suddenly know what Kanon and Masamune and apparently everyone else in the world except her knew about them, but was she really willing to sign herself under someone else's command just for a little information that could otherwise be proven useless? Besides, how much did Kanon really know? What if she was bluffing and didn't really know anything? What if-?

Rin glanced at Kanon's mischievous eyes and was again reminded of how different they were compared to her twin's. She asked slowly, "Exactly how much information are we talking here and for how long will I have to work?"

Kanon grinned, "_Damn_, you're good. Heh… Well, I have to admit, I don't really know much." She frowned slightly, "Boten-chan really only relies on Kojuro and Suzu-chan when it comes to heart-to-heart chats, but that doesn't mean I don't know _anything_. So let's say I have six months' worth of information to give to you, how does that sound?"

Rin continued to eye Kanon's outstretched hand thoughtfully. Although Kanon was being as truthful as she could be, it was still pretty vague and Rin still didn't know how well she could trust the woman. Still… She didn't exactly have many other choices. She supposed she _could _ask Suzume or Kojuro… But they'd probably only get suspicious and tell Masamune of her nosing around. And Masamune had already made it clear that he wouldn't share any of what he knew, whatever the hell that was.

Kanon really was her only option then.

Finally Rin sighed and grasped the other hand firmly, "Deal."

Kanon grinned and pulled back, now satisfied. "Great." She retreated to her stool behind the counter again and motioned for Rin to walk closer as she pulled out one of the drawers at her left. She dug through it quickly and leafed through the loose papers, muttering to herself every now and then.

"Ah-ha! Found ya, you little bastard!" she pulled out a single photograph with a successful grin and then slid it towards Rin. A young boy of about eight looked back solemnly back and Rin was about to ask what he had to do with anything when she did a double-take. Was he… Wearing an eye patch over his right eye?...

She looked back at Kanon who grinned, "Yup. And that, my new slave, would be Date Masamune himself when he was young and innocent. Wasn't he a cutie? It's too bad he didn't stay like that… Now he's just some sexual deviant with no ounce of respect for his betters." She sighed mockingly but Rin continued to look at the photo curiously.

Kanon was right about him being cute as a child, but he just looked so intense and miserable for a kid, Rin wondered why.

"Now then… Like I said, Boten-chan doesn't really trust me with his memories, as he should of course," Kanon chuckled at herself, "But I do know a little and I think he mentioned something of a seven year old girl he met during the summer he was eight."

* * *

"_Come on Dad, do we really have to do this?" Young Date Masamune whined to his father as he chuckled._

_Date Terumune only chuckled at his son's inadvertent behavior and said kind-heartedly, "It's only for a few days Botenmaru, you'll be fine. And besides, with the addition of the silk producing business our clan will rise a step ahead of the others'."_

_They, that is, his father Date Terumune and he, had only just arrived to the small town out in the countryside on official business. Apparently this town had a growing reputation as silk farmers and they were just on their way to adding the town to the Date power. Naturally the business and trade of silk is one rarely come upon and the villagers seemed as eager to serve as the Dates were to control and so the pact was made._

_To be honest, young Masamune wanted nothing to do with it… Who cared about the city's politics anyways? It's not like he'd really ever get to control it, after all, his mother already deemed him irresponsible because of the sudden loss of his eye but his father insisted and so there they were._

_Masamune only stuck his tongue out as his father turned and said, "I'll be at a meeting for the rest of the afternoon so entertain yourself and try to stay out of trouble, alright?"_

"_Yes, sir…" Masamune grumbled. Entertain himself… What a joke. This place was so barren compared to the city he was used to. The town was old fashioned and had obviously been built before people planned buildings out so there were no real maps available and almost no modern shops. Seriously, how did anyone manage to survive- wham! Suddenly a pebble hit him square in the back of the head and he yelped as his hand flew to the sore spot._

"_Where the heck-?" Young Masamune looked around him quickly in search of the invisible adversary. Mostly everyone had gone to observe the officials' meeting or were minding their own business so he could see no one who even looked suspicious of throwing that rock, but then who could have-?_

"_Tee-hee~" a sudden giggle resounded from above Masamune and on the top branch of one of the trees sat a young girl comfortably. When she caught Masamune's gaze she started laughing in full and stuck her tongue out at him playfully, forgetting the need to hide her presence._

_"Hey!" he shouted angrily. He walked towards her perch and after sensing his menacing intent, she jumped from it and started running. He shouted "Hey!" again and began running after her._

_He chased her out of the town's boundaries and although she managed to keep the lead for a little while, she began losing ground quickly and he finally tackled her. They rolled a few times before Masamune pinned the younger girl underneath him and finally panted, "And where the heck do you think you're going?"_

_She grinned sheepishly before shrugging and Date scowled. "Well, I hope you're sorr-" he stopped mid-sentence when the girl deftly reached her head up and kissed him lightly on the cheek._

_His face flushed a deep red as his hand flew to where she kissed him and the girl took this opportunity to escape. She quickly flew out of his grasp and began backing away from where he sat on his heels, still dazed by her actions._

_He stared at her and finally she smiled and said, "My name is Kazehaya Rin, Young Master Date." A soft wind blew past them but it was as if time had stopped… Suddenly it was just the two of them…_

_And that was how the two first met._

* * *

Rin blinked in surprise as she stuttered, horrified, "I _kissed _him?"

Kanon laughed her tinkling laugh and said teasingly, "Only on the cheek."

"Oh w-well…" Rin shut her eyes for a second as she waited for her cheeks to cool down. "I guess… Maybe I do remember that? But I must have completely blocked that kissing part out…"

That's right… But wait a minute… She did seem to recall meeting a boy when she was younger and they had become friends, but wasn't there something else she should be remembering?

Kanon grinned and as if reading her mind said, "I knew you'd remember, but I don't believe that's everything that Boten-chan wants to remind you about, as memorable as it should have been."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Rin looked towards the older woman in confusion but she only smiled and winked.

"You'll have to ask him yourself," suddenly she nodded towards the window looking outside and as if on cue the one-eyed teen himself walked past. He looked slightly troubled but didn't pause to look in to the shop.

"You'd better go catch him," Kanon said with a smirk. "By the way, you can keep the photo." She nodded to it but Rin shook her head.

"Thanks, but no-" she pushed it towards Kanon but she only held her hand over Rin's.

"Keep it," she said softly, golden-brown eyes staring into hers. She smiled, "Besides, it's good blackmail if you need it. But like I said, it'll be our little secret… I don't want him thinking I'm sentimental or anything."

Rin finally nodded and started heading out the door when Kanon added, "And for the record, I actually do have a few rules around here. Three, in fact."

"Oh?" Rin asked curiously.

Kanon smiled as she walked to the threshold with Rin. "Well, of course. I may be reckless, but I'm not completely out of hand."

"Okay… So what are they?"

"Well, the first one is one you'd probably hear from anyone. I expect your complete and utter obedience, so that means you must do my every bidding no matter how ridiculous or unreasonable they may sound to you. Believe it or not, I _always_ have my reasons."

Rin nodded, "Alright, sounds typical enough…"

"Wait, there's more," Kanon continued smiling. "The second is that you are never to invite any of your friends here unless they're desperately in need of help. That especially includes that Sanada Yukimura buddy of yours."

Rin's eyebrows raised questioningly at this, "But why not? I mean, it's not that I'd want to, this is work after all but…"

Kanon sighed mockingly, "Oh Rin-chan… How innocent you are. Haven't you noticed yet how special this shop truly is?"

"…" Rin didn't reply and Kanon looked around thoughtfully.

"You see… I inherited this shop from my _own _Master and he was… Something of a weirdo, really, and actually one of _his _rules had been the same except for a different set of people. It's been that way since the shop had been built… Whenever the hell that was… Anyways… Just make sure you stick to it. Clients must come in willingly; that's the rule. Besides… Boten-chan would have my head if he knew I supported that Sanada kid in any way."

Rin finally nodded, "Okay, okay… No friends allowed."

Kanon laughed as she ruffled Rin's hair and started nudging her towards the door now, as if she couldn't wait to get rid of her.

"Wait," Rin resisted slightly as she asked, "What was the third rule you had?"

"Oh, that's easy," Kanon laughed, already shutting the door on her. "From this point on you must only address me as 'Jackal'."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"Hey! Hey, _Date! _Wait!_"_

Rin slid to a stop just behind Date as he turned and in an obviously surprised voice asked, "Rin? What the hell are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Rin panted. She caught her breath and then said, "I was just visiting Ka-" she paused. Was she supposed to refer to her new boss as Kanon or Jackal when she was talking to other people? Date had never referred to her as anything other than "Kanon-sama"; he hadn't even mentioned her other name so Rin wondered whether he knew of it or not. Rin cursed herself for not asking before. She recovered quickly with a shake of her head and said instead, "I was just at the antiques store… What about you?"

"Wait, _what?_" Masamune asked panicked, "You went to see Kanon-sama again? _Why?_ Didn't I tell you-"

"I had to," Rin said defensively, "That red sheet of paper she gave me turned out to be blank but I also wanted to ask her-"

Date groaned as he face palmed and asked wearily, "Then why the hell didn't you ask me to come with you again? You could have asked me today and I would have gone, I mean, what if she tried making you buy something dangerous or worse? _Force_ you into labor?"

Rin laughed nervously at this, "Um, yeah… About that?"

He eyed her before groaning again, "Don't tell me… She managed to rope you into buying something… Oh, Christ. What is it?"

Rin shook her head, "I didn't buy anything but… I made a deal with her…"

"_Yes_?" Date asked suspiciously.

Rin sighed, "Well… I said I would work for her if she told me what she knew about… You know…" she blushed, "Us."

Date looked at her curiously and Rin looked away, embarrassed that she had so quickly subjected herself to more labor for news on something she was supposed to deem trivial. Finally he sighed and said, "I see… So what did you find out?"

"W-well… That's what I came to talk to you about."

"Oh?" Rin nodded and Masamune sighed again. "Well… **_Alright_** then, let's go to the park to talk though."

* * *

"So then, what did Kanon tell you?" Date asked, moments later.

Rin fidgeted, "Well… Not much, really, but… I wanted to know… Um…"

Date watched her from the corner of his eye and she finally said in a rush, "If I really kissed you on the cheek when we first met!" He watched her for a second before bursting out laughing. "_What_?" Rin asked, now completely embarrassed but he only waved a hand.

It took him several moments to calm down before he choked out, "Is _that _what's bothering you?" Rin nodded so he continued laughing.

"Cut it out," she said irritably. "It's not funny."

"Yeah, it _is_, oh my _God_ that is too rich! I can't believe you're hung up about that!" Rin glared and he continued, "And for the record, it was _you _who jumped on _me_ when we were kids. Oh man, that is _hilarious. _I'm actually sort of glad now that you remember_._"

Rin rolled her eyes angrily before huffing, "Sure, whatever, I used to be a little flirter when I was younger, okay? You had your laugh."

"I did," he agreed with a straight face.

"But tell me… Wasn't there something else that happened?" Rin asked seriously.

Date sobered as he thought about it, "Well… I guess there was that _one_ thing… But it's not important… Really…"

"Come on Date, _tell _me. You've already kept enough from me, so tell me more. You have to," Rin begged.

Masamune laughed, "Oh? I _have _to?" Rin nodded and he only laughed again, "So how much are you gonna give to me?"

"Nothing," Rin said immediately and he sighed.

"Cruel. But maybe that may change when I tell you what you want to know."

"Eh?"

Date smirked and said, "I think what you're trying to remember is the promise we made to each other on the last night of my stay."

"The… Promise?" Rin repeated.

Date nodded as he looked away now, suddenly more interested in the other people in the park. Rin only looked at him in confusion. "Tch," he stood up now and started walking away, "It's not important. Anyways, I've gotta go and-"

"Not until you tell me what it is you remember!" Rin cried, suddenly holding onto his arm and pulling him back. She glared at him with a determined look in her eye and finally he laughed.

"You just never give up, do you?" he asked and she shook her head. He sighed, "Well… If you really want to know _that _badly…." He smirked now and Rin felt a chill pass through her. Er… Did she _really _want to know anymore?

She was about to pull away when- too late. Date pulled her close to him and one hand moved to the small of her back while the other pushed her head close to his. He whispered into her ear, "We promised that one day we'd marry each other." Rin blinked in surprise.

Wait… What?

* * *

_"Riiiiin! Wait up!" yelled a voice._

_Rin laughed as she yelled back, "Come on ya slow-poke, or you'll never be able to find my special place by yourself!"_

_Young Date sighed irritably as he kept running to catch up. He kept running and finally managed to catch up to her, but only because she had stopped so abruptly he ran into her. He jumped back and rubbed his chin which had hit the back of her head._

_She turned around and did the same to her head, "Hey, watch where you're going next time."_

_"I only ran into you because you stopped so suddenly!" Masamune protested but Rin just shrugged and pointed._

_"Look."_

_Not too far away lay a small cluster of houses. They were old; judging by the dilapidation of the roofs and even from this distance he could tell it was abandoned._

"_So… This is it?" Young Masamune asked as he looked at the older homes, unimpressed._

_Rin laughed at his impatience as she ruffled his hair. "Of course not, silly. These are just the boring old ruins of our village."_

"_Your old village?" he asked and she nodded._

"_Apparently we had to move a long, long time ago so these are just the remains."_

"_Well, whatever, if this is what you wanted to show let's just go already back and do something else. This place is creepy." Masamune shuddered but Rin only giggled and danced away._

"_You're such a scaredy-cat Masamune~"_

"_Am not!" he cried indignantly and Rin giggled again._

"_Anyways, this isn't really what I wanted to show you, so come on! Oh, but wait…" She smiled secretly and put a finger to her lips, "What I'm about to show you is a secret… So you can't tell anyone I took you there, okay?"_

_He mimicked her motions and nodded, "Okay."_

_She started running ahead and Masamune sighed wearily. Rin could be such a ball of energy, it was hard to keep up with her sometimes and he wondered if she was really a girl during these moments._

_Well, regardless… Rin was ahead of him and she was gaining distance so he figured he'd better keep up. This village really was creepy and he did _not _want to be left alone in it._

_They passed through the other side of the village and stopped at the edge of a grand forest filled with trees. Masamune thought they'd stop there, as they were already a considerable distance away from the real village but Rin kept going until they reached the largest oak tree which could have easily been at the heart of the forest._

"_This is it~" Rin cheered, twirling three times and bowing grandly. She waved a hand and said, "This is my secret place."_

"_This?" Masamune asked again, somehow failing at matching her enthusiasm. She had brought him to a small clearing in the trees with a creek just snaking by, but everything was dead still. And dead silent. Another creepy land mark, in his opinion. Masamune wasn't sure whether it was always like this or only at the time they were there at but either way, it was really nothing impressive._

_Rin frowned, "Well, yeah, I mean… Isn't it amazing in your eyes?"_

"_Eye," Masamune corrected and pointing at his eye patch._

_Rin rolled her eyes with a laugh and repeated, "Fine, have it your way. Eye. So is it?"_

"_Not really," he shrugged and Rin sighed._

"_You're such a spoil-sport," she stuck her tongue out at him and then said, "But if this didn't impress you then follow me." Suddenly she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the base of the tree before taking her shoes off. "The view from up there is the best but it's a little tricky to get to, so be careful!"_

"_Wait, we're going to have to-" Too late. Rin was already half way up the trunk before Masamune could utter another complaint and he groaned. Climbing definitely wasn't his idea of fun. But… He followed._

_When they reached the top Rin made room for him and said, "And this, Young Master Date, is the world."_

_Suddenly, Date could see why Rin liked this forest so much. From that one branch they could see over the tops of all the other trees and beyond, all the way back to Rin's village in the distance. It was like a giant portrait laid out before them._

"_See?" Rin asked proudly, "Isn't it great up here?"_

_Finally Date nodded and commented, "Yeah… It's like you can see from a god's point of view from up here."_

_Rin nodded excitedly, "Yup!" With a happy sort of sigh she finally began to climb down and Masamune followed again. Thankfully he was much better getting down from trees than up them and beat her to the ground._

_He waited for her at the bottom but just as she was coming to the last branch she called, "Look out below!" and jumped._

_Masamune's eye widened and he shouted, "Hey, what the heck are you-?!" crash! Gravity proved its usefulness and effectiveness right then and there and Masamune tumbled under the sudden weight. "Augh…" he groaned. He rubbed the back of his head which hit the ground painfully when Rin landed on him and he scolded her, "Watch it, stupid… You could have gotten hurt."_

_Rin laughed, "But I wasn't, now was I? Good thing you were here to save me~ Though I wouldn't have done that otherwise…"_

_Masamune looked up at her to scold her again when their eyes met and he now realized how close they had become. His face heated up and suddenly he forgot what he had to say._

_When she noticed his blushing face Rin teased, "What's wrong Young Master Date? Is something the matter? Are you having bad thoughts? Your face is all red!"_

"_N-no, shut up! And don't call me that! I already told you I hate it." __Rin only giggled again and kissed him quickly on the cheek. She seemed to have a habit of doing that when she noticed that he was looking particularly flustered and she took one of those opportunities._

"_Oh, yeah!" suddenly she clapped her hands and scrambled up, walking away from him and looking around for something. After a few moments of searching she said excitedly "Masamune, over here!"_

_He sighed and took his time making his way to her because unlike her, he hadn't just forgotten her sudden idea to use him as a landing pillow. He joined her side to see what she was looking at now and saw a tiny tree sapling just a foot high._

_"I planted this so the world will never forget my presence."_

_"But how? You aren't even supposed to be here in the first place, right?"_

_Rin sighed irritably and said, "Gosh Masamune, you're such a prune!" she laughed and said matter of factually, "It doesn't really matter who else knows about it, just that it's here. Besides, you know now and the tree knows. So isn't that enough?"_

_She smiled brightly and he laughed. Suddenly Date had the urge to hold her close at that point, so he reached out and pulled her against him. He held her against his chest and whispered, "Then on this sapling, I promise that one day, when we're older I'll ask you to be my wife."_

_Rin was quiet for a moment, and he wondered whether she heard him or not when she replied, "Then on that day, the day you find me again and ask? I'll accept."_

_He could hear the seriousness in her voice and laughed quietly, "I won't forget that."_

_"It's a promise."_

_She smiled as she squirmed around so she could face him. She wrapped her arms under his and placed her head against his shoulder, "Young Master Date?" she asked, using the annoying formal name to bother him again._

_"Yeah?"_

_"I love you."_

* * *

_The next morning, urgent news received from the Date home and required Terumune's immediate return._

_Masamune held Rin's hand as she cried. They were in her special hiding place for what would be the last time in a while and he continued whispering consolation to her. "But I don't want you to leave!" she cried and he looked away._

_"I know… We were supposed to stay for at least one or two more days but… Something came up. My father never told me, but I guess it's really important."_

_After another minute or so, Rin took a deep, shuddering breath and looked up. "We won't be able to see each other again regularly anymore... If I can't visit you in the city, you'll come back instead, right?"_

_He looked at her sadly and said, "I'll try but…"_

_"Please promise!" Rin said, with pleading eyes._

_He gulped and said, "I promise." He held her in a tight hug and she held on just as tightly. Soon, he managed to get her off her feet and they walked slowly back, his hand still tightly wrapped around hers._

_He had been able to sneak away with Rin while his father was assembling everything together but he'd probably be wondering where his son had disappeared to by now. Masamune looked around the small clearing one last time and suddenly felt disappointed about leaving it. He had been wrong about it being creepy and he was also disappointed that he wouldn't be able to see it again in the afternoon with Rin when, as she said, it was "at its greatest"._

_When they reached the village one of the Date servants spotted them and grabbed him, "Quickly Young Master, we must leave!" he let himself be pulled away as his and Rin's hands were pulled apart and they walked briskly. Rin watched silently with sad eyes._

_"Don't forget our promise, okay?" she yelled._

_He yelled back, "No way! I'll come back every year until we're old enough and we'll get married, I promise!" He waved and Rin gave him a sad smile, watching as he got in to the car and it began driving away. She ran all the way back to her hiding spot, climbed up the tree as fast as a squirrel, and watched as the car got smaller and smaller on the horizon._

_"It's a promise…" she whispered to herself. The wind carried her voice and she imagined that it took it straight to Masamune._

_"It's a promise…" Masamune also whispered, watching the landscape zoom by._

_"What is?" asked his father, distracted._

_"Nothing…" Masamune said, shaking his head._

_"Are you glad you're leaving?" his father asked, trying to distract himself from worrisome thoughts. "I'm sorry we had to leave so quickly, but you didn't like being there anyways, right?"_

_He sighed, "No, I didn't. I just wish I didn't have to leave her."_

_"A friend?" his father asked, not noticing that his son said 'her'._

_Masamune nodded, "Yes, a very, very good friend." He looked out the window quietly and thought to himself, 'who will someday be my wife.'_

* * *

Suddenly, with amazing clarity, it all came back to her. The visit, the promise… The various kisses. She looked at Date, seeing him in another light. That's right, so she _had _met Date before... A long time ago... Well, only about nine years ago but still, how could she have forgotten something so important? Suddenly she felt a bit guilty about it all. No wonder why Masamune seemed so down when she had so blatantly shown that she had forgotten him. Was that why he tried so hard for her affection?

Noticing her staring Date looked back at her. "Hey, Rin. You **_okay_**?" His voice brought her back to the present and Rin looked at him in surprise. Her face flushed when she remembered that he was still holding onto her.

"I'm fine!" she said a little too forcefully as she tried to escape. He watched with amusement as she tried fighting him and she repeated wearily, "Yeah... I'm fine but, seriously, let go of me."

"Hm... Nope," he grinned when she glared at him, "I don't think I will."

Rin huffed angrily before saying, "Right, then at least do me the favor of telling me this: were you ever planning on seeing me again after that?"

He looked at her in surprise and answered immediately, "Of course, why wouldn't I have?" Rin watched him and he said, "I never forgot, but things just became so **_crazy _**after that, I couldn't. Are you mad?"

Rin finally laughed bitterly, "Of course not, I don't have the right to be. After all, _I'm_ the one who forgot. _You _should be the one mad at _me_."

"Hmph, well, if you feel bad there is one thing you can do for me."

Rin eyed him suspiciously, "If it has to do with sleeping with you, no. I may feel differently about you now, but I'm not about to hop into bed with you yet."

Masamune laughed, "Wasn't even thinking about it, but did you say 'yet'?" Rin blushed furiously at her choice of words. "Anyways..."

"Yes?" Rin asked, somewhat curious. Masamune smirked and suddenly Rin was a little more apprehensive.

"Now that you remember that I'm more than just some random stalker, I want you to use my first name from now on… Not my last name like you usually do, just my name."

"As if," Rin said, rolling her eyes as she continued to blushed. They had only just shared an important memory which made her change her view on him, but not enough for her to actually use his first name like he already used hers… As if they were lovers… Pfft.

As if.

What a joke. Rin continued pushing against him and said irritably, "Date, just cut it out already."

Rin tried pushing herself away from him but he held her tightly and teased, "Bzzt bzzt, it's _Masamune_ now," the hand at the small of her back crept down her hip and Rin bit her lip as her cheeks heated up. "I promise to let go of you if you do."

"Date-"

"**_Come on _**Rin, it's only a name. I use yours all the time, don't I?"

"Yeah, without my permission too!" Rin said, continuing her attempts to get away with renewed vigor.

He only gripped her tighter and said, "Say it." Rin shook her head and his hand moved even further down her side. "Say it~" he sang.

"D-Date, _please_," Rin tried again but he only moved his hand further up now, where it rested patiently on her thigh. He fingered the line of her skirt gently and she could feel the fire burning in her cheeks. She must have looked like a tomato.

"Come on Rin, you can do it~" Date sang again, his hand trailing up her thigh and slowly under her skir-

"Masamune!" she finally squeaked.

"**_Good girl_**," He grinned but seemed disappointed that he had to keep his promise of letting go of her. When they finally parted Rin's face was thoroughly red and with a satisfied smirk Date asked, "Hey Rin, is this a date yet?"

* * *

A/N: Oh my God. I almost died writing this chapter; it was just so... xD Ugh. I always get so embarrassed when I write lovey-dovey stuff, it's a wonder how I ever make it. Ha ha.

Anyways, since this is partially a modern retelling of my first BASARA fic _A Dragon and His Shadow._ If you've read that one before then you probably recognize a lot of the text because I more or less just rewrote/re-pasted what I already had because... Well... I'm super lazy... And I didn't want to change all that much... And I didn't have any better ideas...

I kind of like this retelling better because it's newer and I got to add some stuff to what I had previously written, but at the same time it just doesn't sound right for some reason. Oh well. I think the only real difference is that with the addition of Kanon and Suzume, conversations may differ slightly.

Alright! So here are the next three chapters and keep looking out for me~Thanks!

- Jackal


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"Kanon-samaaaaa!" The door to the shop slammed open and the bell above it hit the side violently as Date stormed in.

Kanon didn't even flinch when she recognized the mysteriously belligerent teen's voice but she waved distractedly as she continued to study the chess game she was playing with Suzume. "Yo, Boten-chan." She looked up quickly to flash a grin now as she asked, "What's up? You look kind of pissed. Knight to E4."

"Check," Suzume said quietly, moving her queen piece.

"Damn it," Kanon muttered. She studied the chessboard more carefully now as she rubbed her forehead thoughtfully.

"Hell yeah, I am," Date said loudly. "What the hell do you think you're doing, forcing Rin to work for you?" He slammed a fist on the counter angrily and Suzume looked over at him with concern.

She turned to her sister and asked seriously, "You asked Kazehaya-chan to work for you? Kanon, I thought we promised-"

Kanon shrugged innocently and replied to Masamune, "I didn't force her to do anything, stupid. I offered her a deal and she took it. End of discussion." She stuck her tongue out at him childishly and said, "You always make me out as some sort of bad guy. Why are you always so suspicious all the time? Are you trying to make me feel bad?" She wiped under her eye to impersonate tears but they glittered in their usual mischievous way and Date could see.

He narrowed his eye and pressed on unfazed, "But what's your gain? What do you want from her?"

"You're gonna give yourself wrinkles if you keep that up," Kanon continued to tease but he wouldn't change his expression. "Isn't that right, Suzu-chan?"

"Just answer the question," he grumbled.

"Kanon," Suzume said sternly and they shared a look.

"_Whaat?_" she asked. She accused her sister now, "You always side with him, Suzu-chan; it's not fair!"

"Quit acting like a child," Masamune snapped and she sighed.

"Hmph… And wouldn't you like to know?" Kanon murmured to the chessboard. She moved the knight again and Suzume watched quietly.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" he pressed on.

Suzume moved her rook just as a calm voice called from the doorway, "Look Peasant, you can't just come barging in here yelling at people like an unintelligent moron and expect answers." Masamune narrowed his eye as Mouri Motonari slunk in casually with a box of things. He placed them on the counter and began sorting through objects just as indifferently.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?" he asked hotly.

"My sister happens to work here, fool," the other boy answered coldly. "I have every right to be here and as much of one as you do, if not more, so before you go off accusing people of their unwanted presence, check your own. You're in _our _territory now, Date." The air in the room grew tense as the boys sized each other up and you could practically feel the lightning fly.

The two glared at each other and Kanon laughed before saying sweetly, "Now, now boys. If you start a fight in here and blood ends up on any of my merchandise, I'll make you _both_ pay for it, got that?"

"Hmph." The two huffed but backed off quickly.

"Just… Take care of her." Masamune finally muttered, "Because I'll never forgive you if she ever gets hurt."

He fixed Kanon with his strongest glare and she finally met his gaze. She smiled calmly, "Of _course_ Botenmaru, I would never allow my property to be put in harm's way."

"_Kanon_," Suzume warned again and Kanon laughed.

"I was just _kidding _Suzu-chan. _God_, you're such a prude sometimes! It's no wonder why Kojuro likes you more even though _I'm _clearly the better looking one between us _and _the only one with a sense of humor around here." Suzume only shook her head and Kanon laughed again. She turned to Masamune then and said, "Anyways… Speaking of which, I need you to take something to him for me again."

"Oh **_great_**," Masamune grumbled again. "What is it now? A three headed dog?"

"_No_, nothing like that," Kanon snorted. "But as payment for that book he ordered I told him he had to take care of one of my other clients' plants for me so I need you to take it to him." She nodded to the corner of the shop where a giant Venus flytrap sat quietly.

Masamune winced, "A _Venus flytrap_? You must attract some of the _weirdest_ clients on the planet. I mean, seriously, who owns this thing?"

Kanon shrugged, "Some guy I met at the bar last night. Said he was going out of town for a while but, anyways, you know how I am with plants-"

"How you kill every one you touch? Yeah, I know about that."

"-and how Kojuro has his own green thumb, so I figured I'd help the guy out and earn some money."

"Here's an **_idea_**," Masamune said sarcastically, "Why don't you learn to do your own work for once instead of manipulating others to do it for you? Then you can leave Kojuro and Rin out of your business."

"I'm inclined to agree for once, Kanon_ Ane-chan_," Motonari spoke up. "We don't need some second rate servant _or _his idiotic master hanging around here anymore than necessary, anyways."

"_Oi_," Masaume glared, "Those are some pretty condescending words coming from the family who asked _us _for the engagement in the first place. Why do you even _want _one if you think he's a 'second-rate servant'?"

"We have our reasons," Motonari said coldly. "Ones such as you clearly could never fathom."

"'Cause Suzu-chan's in _looove_," Kanon snickered and Suzume frowned slightly.

"Kanon!"

"What, it's true~" Kanon smiled innocently as her sister rolled her eyes.

"That may be true _now_," Masamune agreed, "But we all know that wasn't what started it."

"Like I said," Mouri smirked. "Someone like you could never fathom our reasons; which is why the Date will always be inferior to the Mouri."

"You want to start something, _Nari-chan_?" Masamune mocked as he took a threatening step forward.

Motonari mirrored his movements then and replied just as rudely, "_Only_ in your dreams, brat!"

"Who would want _you_ in their dream?"

They were butting heads again when Kanon sighed, "Honestly you two, can't you see each other for _one second_ and not threaten the vitality of my shop?"

"Tch, whatever," Masamune muttered. He grabbed the plant with disgust and said, "I'll take the stupid plant for you."

"Thanks!" Kanon said cheerfully, "Plus, I think you'll be happy to know that I have _another _job for you while you're at it, one you might enjoy."

He groaned again, "_Seriously? _Why can't you do it yourself?"

"But Boten-chan," Kanon purred, "You know how much I dislike leaving the shop any more than necessary."

"Tch."

"And I think Rin-chan would much rather see _you _over me, don't you think?"

Masamune blinked, "What?"

"Hm…" Kanon smirked. "Nari-chan? Help Boten-chan out for me, will you?"

"_What_?!" The two boys shouted in unison. Masamune almost dropped the plant and Motonari hissed, "Watch it, Peasant!"

"Quit calling me 'peasant', ass hole!" he shouted back.

Motonari turned to Kanon crossly and asked, "And _why_ do I have to help a brute like _him_? Isn't it enough to have to talk at him on a regular basis?"

"Well, you aren't exactly the most pleasant person to converse with either!" Masamune shouted, "And what do you mean by 'talk at'?"

"Sometimes my words fly over your short little head, so only sometimes do they get to you and it's more or less like talking _at_ you than to you."

"We happen to be at the same height, shortie!"

Kanon sighed again and said teasingly, "Now, now, Nari-chan, you know how he is with girls-"

"Hey!" Masamune interjected. "I happen to be very capable of delivering a message on my own without causing trouble, thanks! I don't need _him _around."

"So you can make sure he doesn't scare off my new worker." Kanon rolled her eyes, "I have a feeling she may need your protection. I swear, she gets flustered over every little thing."

"But Kanon _Ane-chan_-" Motonari protested.

"Please help Masamune-sama, Motonari-kun," Suzume spoke up. She shared a look with her brother and they were silent for moment, as if passing messages to each other through their eyes.

Finally he nodded and said resignedly, "Alright, Suzume _Ane-chan_… _Fine_… As you wish." He nodded to Masamune, "So then, Peasant, let's go. I don't have much time to waste with you."

"Hey, who said I'd-"

"Get outta here already, squirt!" Kanon laughed, "And hurry up and bring Rin-chan back. She's wasting time."

"Fine!" he shouted. "But I still don't need _his _help."

"Who said I was helping _you_?"

The two continued bickering as they finally left the shop. The twins sat in each other's' presence comfortably and it was quiet. The old clocks on the walls could finally be heard again and the 'ghost' bird's song was playing. Suzume contemplated her next move for several moments before speaking up, "Kanon." She moved her knight piece and looked up to signify that her move was done.

Kanon sighed as she finally grew sober, "Yeah, yeah… I know Suzu-chan. Save your pretty voice for Kojuro tonight or something… No need to lecture me…"

Suzume turned slightly pink but continued on, "But we _promised_, Kanon. Remember?"

Kanon threw her arms in the air, "Well, _yeah _but this is different!" she moved her bishop and knocked off one of Suzume's pawns. "No one's going to get hurt this time, I promise." Suzume looked skeptical and Kanon asked, "What? You don't believe me?"

Suzume shook her head, "It's not that at all Kanon, you know that." She made her move. "It's just that I don't understand why you think Kazehaya-chan is the best choice."

"Oh, so you don't?" Kanon accused and moving one of her white pawns another box.

"_Kanon_," Suzume made her move.

"_What?_ It's a valid question!" The pawn advanced again and Kanon promoted it to a queen piece. "Queen, please."

Suzume nodded as she replaced it with a queen piece. "I trust you with who you decide as your apprentices; you know that too. I just don't want things to end like they did before," Suzume said quietly. "You know how close Masamune-sama was to Dane."

She intercepted another one of Kanon's pawns and added it to her side of the board. Kanon sighed, "I know, I _know_! But I saw the Oracle again and she says things look good this time, so there's no need to worry. Check."

She grinned as she placed her queen piece against Suzume's king but Suzume continued to frown. "I just hope you're right," she murmured as she studied the board.

"Of course I am," Kanon smiled. "And don't worry so much. I already promised Boten-chan I'd take good care of her, and I always keep my promises. You know that," she mimicked.

Suzume smiled wearily, "Yes, I do…" She found her opening and figured out the plan she needed. "But have you considered what to do then?"

"When?" Kanon blinked.

"In case something happens like before."

Kanon thought about it, "Er… Well… I guess I haven't thought it _all _the way through…" Suzume shot her a stern look and she waved her hands defensively, "But like I said, it won't! So quit worrying already!" She promoted a second queen piece.

Suzume sighed, "Just be careful, Kanon. … In case something goes wrong. Checkmate." She made her final move and Kanon did a double-take as she studied the board again.

"_Whaat_?!" she looked for another move but after studying the board for several moments she sighed with irritation… Then she finally laughed and tipped over her king piece before asking, "How is it that you always win?"

* * *

A/N: I finally introduced Mouri Motonari! Yay! :D

I'm really happy about that, ha ha. ^^ I have a feeling he'll show up quite a bit more along the way, like Kasuga. After all, he is the _real _Mouri... By the way, did anyone catch the chess piece representations? There are at least four comparisons... If not, keep looking and remind me to post "the answers" along with the next chapter.

- Jackal

(... I'm a poor strategist and fail at chess, by the way. I don't get many chances to play anymore though...)


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"Rin and Masamune sitting in a tree, K-I-SS-I-N-"

"_Kasuga-chaaan," _Rin glared at the blonde girl who cackled, clutching her sides tightly.

"Ha haa, what? I'm just saying it as it is. I mean, that _is_ what happened, right?"

Rin hit her lightly on the head and grumbled, "For the last time, _no, _we did not kiss. Now, are you going to order something or not? I have work to do." Rin tapped her pen on the menu that lay discarded in front of Kasuga.

Kasuga continued to ignore it and smiled sweetly, "Maybe, if you finish retelling your _riveting _first date experience to me _and _your second date, which you so cruelly tried keeping secret. So tell me, since I'll never experience it myself, how good of a kisser is Date Masamune?"

Rin's face turned beet red and it took her a few moments to calm herself.

Ever since the previous afternoon, Rin had gone into a sort of dream world and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop thinking about him. After the train rescued her from his clutches yet again, she found that she couldn't think straight anymore and actually missed her stop so she was stuck on the train for an extra hour. Then, when she got home, she couldn't concentrate on any of her homework because of _him _and she got practically no sleep either, and why? Because of _him_.

That morning she had hoped something miraculous would happen so she wouldn't have to go to school. A freak accident maybe, or an unplanned snow day (even though summer vacation was already fast approaching, snow was possible during June in the city, right? After all, she was from the country so how would she know how the weather worked in the city?), or maybe an asteroid would strike the Earth and obliterate the school, making it impossible for her to ever see Date Masamune again. When none of those things happened in the time it took her to get ready, with a heavy heart, she decided to play hooky. Just this once, she decided.

And maybe, if she was lucky, he would forget all about the previous afternoon and wouldn't even mention it when she would have to face him the next day.

Oh, God. The next day.

She couldn't run away forever, and Rin knew she would eventually have to face him again. Who was she kidding? He was definitely not going to let "their moment" go by completely forgotten, now that she remembered.

With that thought on her mind, she had curled back under the blankets and began praying for another miracle. _Please God, __please__, if you're listening up there or something, just let me die here under these sheets and let the apartment manager find my corpse. Anything so I won't have to face __him__ again!_

She had fallen asleep and woke up only when Poplar began barking. After taking care of her pets she remembered that she still had work that afternoon. So, with the guilt of skipping school she forced herself to leave the safety of her home.

And somehow, with those 'kunoichi senses' of hers, Kasuga managed to track down her missing friend and that's when she cornered her. It didn't take long before Kasuga got all the information she could out of Rin and even quicker was she to tease her about it. Luckily, she still didn't know how deep Rin's relationship with Masamune really ran… Yet…

"So?" Kasuga woke her up from her thoughts and Rin asked, "What?"

Kasuga rolled her eyes, "Did you kiss Date Masamune or not?"

Rin's cheeks flared up as she threw her hands above her head and practically screamed, "I already told you, we _didn't _kiss! God!" she whipped around to take out her anger on the empty table behind her and started scrubbing it energetically with a clean towel.

"Did you want to?" she asked innocently. Rin only glared.

Did she want to... What a question! Of course she didn't want to! But... _But..._ She thought again. If she _had _kissed him, what _would _it have been like? _Would he-_ she shook her head furiously, disgusted with her previous thoughts. Date Masamune? Who was this boy you speak of? She certainly didn't know any_ Date Masamune_s, but if she did, she certainly wouldn't have imagined herself kissing him! No siree!

Kasuga leaned over the side of the booth and watched her friend with amusement. She pouted and asked, "So, let me get this straight. You were _this _close," she pinched her thumb and forefinger together, "And there was _no_ sexual engagement, _at all_?"

Rin glared at the nonexistent stain she was wiping out, "Yes. And there never will be either."

The blonde girl sighed in complete annoyance and declared, "Kazehaya Rin, you are _by far _the most stubborn girl I have ever met. When will you just admit that you like him?"

"Because I already told you, I don-"

"Sh, shh!" Kasuga finally flew to her friend and clamped a hand over her mouth. "Do you hear that?" Kasuga looked around, as if looking for something and then whispered devilishly, "I think I hear wedding bells ringing."

Rin glared and pried her friend's hand off her before spitting, "Well, you'd better get your ears checked, Kasuga-chan, because I sure as hell don't."

"Are you sure?" Kasuga teased and Rin nodded vigorously, returning to cleaning the table. "Because here comes the groom right now."

Rin froze as Kasuga pointed to the front of the restaurant as Masamune walked in bickering with a boy whom she recognized to be Mouri Motonari and… Was Date … Carrying a Venus flytrap?

"And it looks like he has a gift for you." Kasuga squinted slightly as if she couldn't believe her eyes and she said, "Huh, not quite as romantic as roses, but interesting."

Rin swatted her again before turning her attention back to the table and muttering, "Well, whatever he wants will have to wait. I'm work- Kasuga-chan!"

Before Rin had time to finish her sentence Kasuga had already flounced over to the pair and said in an overly loud voice, "Ah, Date Masamune! Rin-chan is over there, if you're looking for her." She laughed in a tinkling tone and then waved to Rin shouting, "Well, I'll be off then. See you tomorrow Rin-chan!"

She ran off humming "here comes the bride" and Rin called desperately, "Wait, Kasuga-chan, come back! Don't leave me with-!"

"_**Yo**_, long time no see, Rin."

Rin's face heated up as avoided looking at Date, who had already taken a seat at the table next to where she was sitting. Motonari folded his arms and stood silently behind him. "A-ah, yeah… Good… Afternoon… You two…"

"So, I see you recovered enough to come to work this afternoon, even though you missed school today," he said casually and Rin continued avoiding his gaze.

"Yeah," she agreed nervously. "It was just a little temperature this morning… I'm fine, now…"

"That's good to hear."

All three were silent as Rin pretended to clean the table which was so clean now she could practically see her reflection in it. "So…" he started and she sighed.

"Did you need anything?" she asked in a resigned voice and finally turning to face him. "Because you know I can't have visitors while I'm working."

He met her gaze and she winced slightly. Was she imagining things, or did he actually seem a little hurt by her blatant attempt to pretend he didn't exist anymore? "_**Right**_, well, if your shift is over soon and you don't have any more plans of avoiding me," Rin bit her lip guiltily, oh, so it did sting… "Kanon-sama sent me over to kidnap you or something."

"Oh… I see…" she glanced at Motonari who had been watching the two without much interest and he looked back at her. She shivered slightly under his cold gaze. He seemed so unemotional it was unnerving.

Masamune noticed and added, "By the way, this Okra behind me is Mouri Motonari. The baby of the Mouri family. Say hello to the pretty girl, Okra."

"Shut up, Peasant. I am not interested in becoming an acquaintance of any of your pawns."

"It's nice to meet you too," Rin replied somewhat sarcastically. Oh, so he _was_ Kanon's younger brother, of course. No wonder why he reminded her of someone; two people, actually. He shared a sort of proud and commanding aura with Kanon, but a calm and stoic look with Suzume. So he was like a hybrid of the two? Rin shook her head to clear the thought.

"Well, you'd better learn to become interested," Masamune countered, "Because apparently Rin's going to be hanging around the shop more often."

Motonari studied Rin and she pretended not to notice but his gaze was cynical. "Hmph, I can't believe my sister hired another peasant like _you_," Mouri grumbled. "It's as if we don't have enough useless bastards to get our work done."

Masamune rolled his eye and asked sarcastically, "You've promoted me to a useless bastard? How unusually generous of you. And what, my good sir, might you be?"

"I am a Child of the Sun," Mouri said smugly. "I am no one's pawn nor am I a peasant like either of you."

Masamune snorted, "_**Right**_, fine. If you're a Child of the Sun, then I'm a Child of the Moon. Call me _**Moon Beam**_. That's a good name for me, isn't it, _**Sunshine**_?"

Mouri glared at him and Rin shook her head, already figuring out that this childish bickering was a normal thing between the two so instead of defending herself she chose to say, "Anyways, you two… My shift should be over in about ten minutes. After it's over I'll change out of my uniform and go to the shop." She expected the two to leave then so she began walking away but when she noticed that neither had moved she paused to say, "You guys can… You know… Leave now, if you want. I mean, the shop is just across the street, I can get there on my own."

"_**No can do**_," Date said and Rin turned to him.

"Why not? I mean, it's not like I'll be mugged walking from this entryway to the next."

"My sister's directions were to bring you back to the store and although I may already dislike you, I must follow her word, so I will do as she asked." Motonari said simply and Rin stared at him oddly.

"Ah… Okay, thanks? I guess…" She shook her head and headed off with the dirty plates from the next table. Was she supposed to be grateful or what?

When she had wandered off Date said to Motonari, "You wait for her while I run this home to Kojuro, _**okay Sunshine**_? Don't bring Rin to the shop before I get back."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Mouri promised emotionlessly, "After all, Kanon _Ane-chan's_ directions were for _you _to bring her. _My _directions were just to make sure you didn't sexually abuse her."

Date snorted, "As if I would."

"I seem to recall being told that you already have. Multiple times, in fact," Motonari said matter-of-factly and Date rolled his eye.

"That's an exaggeration made by your sister, and who is she to talk? She uses it all the time when it's convenient."

He picked up the Venus flytrap again and headed for the door when Motonari called, "Just hurry up Peasant, I won't wait for you forever and if I end up being the only one who shows up with the girl you'll get in trouble for not obeying Kanon _Ane_-_chan_!"

"Is that a _**challenge**_?" Date yelled back, already starting to run.

* * *

"What happened to Date?" Rin asked, twenty minutes later. Date still hadn't returned and Motonari was sitting calmly by the window, looking bored.

"Hm?" he asked, distractedly. He turned to face Rin and quickly wiped the surprised look off his face, "Oh, it's you."

Rin clenched her teeth, what was with this guy? Why was he so stuck up? "Yeah, just me, so where's Date run off to?"

Motonari rolled his eyes and said, without really answering her question, "Elsewhere. He'll be back soon though."

"Oh, okay…" Rin sat down cautiously across from the green clad teen who had gone back to staring out the window. Rin broke the silence by saying, "Look, I'm sorry if I've given you the wrong impression or something, but why don't we start over? My name is Kazehaya Rin, it's nice to meet you." She bowed her head slightly and he watched her from the corner of his eye.

"A pleasure," he replied, as emotionless as ever, "Mouri Motonari."

Rin nodded somewhat defeated, okay… Still not really the warmest of introductions, but at least this was a better than before. "So… I heard from Date that your older sister was marrying Katakura-san, is that true?"

Motonari slid dark eyes back to hers and he took his time answering softly, "Unfortunately, yes… My Suzume _Ane_-_chan_ will be marrying that second-rate retainer."

"I see…" Rin nodded awkwardly, "Um… Do you mind telling me why, if you don't think so highly of him?"

He looked out the window again, already seemingly bored, "You're quite the intrusive female, aren't you?"

Rin flushed, bowing her head quickly, "Sorry, no! I didn't mean to pry, I'm just curious is all! You don't need to-"

"It was an arranged marriage," he interrupted calmly. "And we were the ones who proposed the engagement in the first place."

Rin looked up at him again but he was still looking out the window. He seemed a little different when he answered her. Was he resentful? "Oh?" she asked timidly.

He shrugged casually turning slightly to glance at her, "Sure, though the original arrangement was supposed to be with Kanon _Ane-chan_."

"What made the change?"

Motonari sighed, "You are a very intrusive female, indeed."

"I'm sorry, I'm sor-"

"It doesn't matter," he interrupted again. "Either way, the Mouri clan will prosper and that's all that matters." Rin watched him curiously and he finally smirked at his reflection, "You Country Girls wouldn't understand."

Finally Rin sighed irritably and shot back, "Right, well then, _City Boy_, answer me one last question at the risk of being deemed even stupider than you already seem to think me." He nodded, "Do you support the engagement?"

"And what's it to you?" He smirked at her now, "I thought I had already made that answer apparent enough for even someone like you to understand, but apparently not. Of course I-"

"I _understand_ perfectly well that you don't approve of it," Rin interrupted this time, "But just because you don't like _him_ doesn't mean you don't care for your sister at least, right?"

They watched each other solemnly now as he thought about what she said. Motonari was just about to reply then when a loud rapping hit the window and Rin jumped to see Date, who was pointing at the shop, his arms now clear of the Venus fly plant.

Motonari rose with a roll of his eyes and called loud enough to be heard from the other side, "It took you long enough, Peasant."

Masamune only shouted back, "Shut up, I ran as fast as I could!" before heading to meet them at the entrance.

Rin got up to follow Mouri but he blocked her way to ask; "Now it's my turn to ask a question or two."

She looked up at him suspiciously, "Yes?"

"Why do you care so much about the engagement? You're just a pawn, and a new one at that. Why are you so interested in the affair between my sister and that second-rate retainer?"

Rin glared and said angrily, "Look, I may not be as 'high or mighty' as you are, but I'm no _pawn_, so you can quite calling me that!"

He quirked an eyebrow up in amusement, "Oh? Then what are you, if not a pawn to be used? Surely, not an equal of mine."

She only brushed past him and answered, "I'm just Rin, that's all. And I don't want to be your equal if it means being a total jerk!"

He followed behind her and finally laughed, "Fine, 'just Rin', answer my first question."

She stopped to face him again, "Why does it matter if I'm 'new' around here? Why do I have to gain anything to care about people?"

He shrugged, "Because it's only natural, isn't it? For a person to only get involved if they earn something in return? It's what motivates us."

She glared and said, "Only someone like you or your sister believes in that."

"Hmph, so then why do you care so much?"

"I care because unlike _you_, I'm not heartless. I don't want to see either Katakura-san or Date hurt and that's exactly what will happen if _you_ people are scheming."

"I wasn't aware you had such strong feelings for him," Motonari commented and Rin blushed, looking away.

"I don't," she said stubbornly. "I just don't want anyone hurt in general."

"Is that so?" he asked and she nodded. "Well then rest assured," he said somewhat bitterly, "It may have started out as an arranged marriage, but it certainly isn't like that now. He likes her and she likes him; that's all."

"You seem upset."

He shrugged indifferently, "There's nothing I can do about it." Rin watched him carefully but he remained emotionless. He looked back at her then, suddenly laughing loudly and she glared at him. When he finally stopped he said with amusement, "Heartless, so that's what you think of me, huh? Ouch, and here I thought you were a nice girl. A little too naïve for my taste, maybe, but definitely not the reproving kind. You're like a wolf in sheep's clothing."

"And then I thought you were a charming, charismatic guy," She shot back, "Guess I was wrong too, so that makes us even."

Motonari shrugged nonchalantly, as if agreeing with her. He smiled faintly and said, "Well, anyways, I can't exactly let an insult like that pass a true gentleman like me, can I? Not when I had been hoping we'd be friends." Rin narrowed her eyes, not believing him for a second and he smirked, "So to ease my conscious and any hard feelings between us, I'll at least give you a warning about my sisters."

"What," Rin said, more a demand than a question. "If you're going to tell me to use caution around them then save your breath, Date's already wasted most of his."

"That's a shame," Motonari said, "Because he obviously hasn't wasted enough. He's still standing." Rin glared and he continued, "Quit glaring, I'm trying to be kind, here."

"Some kindness," she said sarcastically. He laughed.

"So, if he's already warned you then let me enforce the fact that we're a ruthless family." Rin blinked in surprise so he said arrogantly, "We, the Mouri Clan, will stop at nothing if it means keeping ourselves prosperous and that includes manipulation, deceit, and betrayal. It's practically in our blood. How else do you think the Aki District and the Chugoku Area has stayed so strong?"

"I wouldn't know," she answered. "Remember? I'm just a 'Country Girl'."

He smiled as he patted her head in a condescending way, "Well, then keep that in mind."

She brushed his hand away in disgust and finally walked outside, "And I suppose you expect me to give you a break and let all your previous insults go, now that we're such good 'friends'."

Mouri smiled faintly again as he said, "Yes, but also because as ruthless as we may be, we aren't completely heartless. At least, to our friends."

* * *

A/N: A little hypocrite, isn't he? That Okra of mine... I'm going to have fun using him in my story. ^^ Does anyone else think he's like Masamune's long lost twin or something? I swear to God, they practically have the same character design with only Masamune's missing eye separating them. Anyways, to envision the BASARA world I have created, think of a HUUUUUUUUGE city as all of Japan.

The territory one controls like Mouri and Date are divided into districts, i.e; the Aki District and the Oshu District. What each district fights for is control over the city (or, Japan during the Sengoku Era). _**You** **see**?_

Anyways, ah, I think that's about it for this chapter. Thanks again for all the great feed back from my anons and everyone who clicks the "follow story" and "favorite story" box; I really appreciate it. Like I've said, I thrive on feedback and sometimes I have to "Takeda Punch" myself out of la la land to continue writing, ha ha. ^^ I can't believe I've made it to 11 chapters! And I'm not even close to the end yet! Actually... There's still plenty of story line to go through, -sigh- I hope this doesn't end up to be, like, 30 chapters or something...

So then, with that being typed, see you soon!

- Jackal

(The equivalent to a "Takeda Punch" is a "Yukimura Punch".)


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"You three sure took your time, were you kids up to something?" Kanon asked as soon as the three walked into the shop.

Her younger brother replied, "Of course not. We would have made it sooner though if useless pawns didn't take so long making deliveries. Really, he should work on his endurance more often."

Masamune glared as he panted, "Speak… For yourself, asshole." He collapsed into a chair near the counter and leaned back into it as he tried catching his breath from his run. Motonari only rolled his eyes and left the room, muttering something about 'useless bastards' on his way.

"Welcome back," Suzume called from behind a shelf. She was pulling out a handkerchief and handing it to Masamune when she noticed Rin. "Hello, Kazehaya-chan."

She nodded formally and Rin bowed somewhat shyly. "Hello, Mouri-Sensei…"

Suzume smiled and said warmly, "No need for such formalities here. You may use my first name if you wish; it's Suzume."

"But everyone just calls her 'Suzu'." Kanon said cheerfully, and then more slyly said, "And _Kojuro _calls you by your _other_ name, right?"

Suzume frowned, "No, in fact, he doesn't and I'd really like you to not mention it either."

Kanon pouted, "Well, I make him use _my _real name at least." Suzume only shook her head disapprovingly as she left the room.

"Anyways…" Kanon said with a small smile and turning to Rin, "It looks like I finally have you. Now then, about your new job…" She looked thoughtfully at one of the open drawers in the wall to her left. "It seems you're already quite busy with your life without it, correct?"

Rin nodded hesitantly, "Yes… That's right."

Kanon listed off her fingers, "You have both of your sister's pets, your waitress job at Kai, school, study sessions with the one-eyed brat, and now this. But… You're a responsible girl and can handle it all, right?"

Rin bit her lip nervously, "Er… Well, I guess I have no choice, right?"

Kanon smiled, "Hmph… No, not really. However, I'm willing to put most of my requests on hold for you." Rin eyed her as she turned to face Masamune, "Yo, Boten-chan. You still alive over there?" He didn't move but sort of grunted in reply and Kanon continued, "Summer break is coming up, right?"

Finally he looked up and replied, "Yeah, it should be at the end of this week."

"Perfect," she said cheerfully. She turned back to Rin and said, "And so, your first job will be then. I'm heading south to meet an old drinking friend of mine, and while I'm there I'll need you to do the deliveries."

"What sort of deliveries?" Rin asked suspiciously.

Kanon shrugged indifferently, "Oh… You know… Jobs like… Well… Anything, really." Rin watched her expectantly as she tried adding to her answer.

"You mean…" Rin started, "You don't do anything specific?"

"Nope~!" she replied cheerfully. "Jobs come and go into this shop randomly. But no need to worry, because you're coming with me. I'm taking you south for your first experience."

Rin's eyebrows shot up in surprise as she asked incredulously, "What? Really?"

Masamune's eyebrow raised as well when he finally moved his cheek to his hand and asked, "Hey, Kanon-sama, is that even legal?"

Kanon shrugged, "Probably not, but you're practically the daimyo of this whole city and you won't mind if I borrow her for a few days, will you? It's not like I'm _really _kidnapping her; just taking her sort of farther from here to work…"

He stared at her and asked, "Are you _**serious**_?"

"Quite," she replied.

He shook his head and said, "Well… I mean, it's not like I care or anything, but why do you need to take her with you? Why not just leave her with the shop?"

Kanon shrugged, "I realize it's a big first step, but I really need to make this meeting and I also need to be able to keep an eye on her. You know, you could come with."

Masamune thought about it and suddenly Rin interjected, "Wait, just a minute!" She didn't like how they were talking about her as if she weren't in the room so she just said, "This is crazy, this is… Insane! I don't even understand what you two are planning for me and I'm listening quite well."

Kanon sighed impatiently, "We're talking about your first _job, _Princess. We're going to the south and staying over there for a week of your summer break. It'll probably be during the second or third week though since I have some stuff to take care of first…"

Rin asked, "But don't I get a say in this?"

"Nope," Kanon said cheerfully. "If you remember correctly, you said you'd work for me for," she held up six fingers, "Six months in exchange for information. You have to keep your promise now." She smiled and Rin sighed.

"Right, well, I didn't exactly know it would take away my freedom rights."

"That's what happens when you make bargains with people like me," Kanon replied sweetly.

"Nn…" Rin groaned and Kanon laughed.

"It won't be so bad. Plus, there's gonna be a festival with fireworks." She grinned as she asked her sister, who had come back to organize the shelves, "And you always love those, don't you?"

Suzume nodded as she returned her attention to the shelves. "But I can't come this year Kanon, there's too much work at the moment. You know that…"

Kanon frowned, "Well… If I got Kojuro to come, would you?" Suzume turned slightly pink but didn't reply and Kanon smirked as she sang out irritatingly, "Hey Boten-maaaruu-chaaaan~"

"_**What**_?" Masamune grumbled.

"Would you be a good little boy and join your favorite older sister to the south so Kojuro will come? After all, I'm taking Rin-chan whether you want me to or not, and _someone's _going to have to look after her when I'm not around."

"_And_ when you are…" he muttered. He sighed, "Sure, but only if you leave us out of whatever it is you're plotting."

"Hmm…" Kanon hummed in approval but didn't answer and turned on Suzume. "See? Kojuro's coming, so why don't you, too?"

Her older sister only sighed in exasperation, "Kanon, I _can't_-"

"If you don't come, I'll tell Kojuro you hate leeks!" Kanon threatened playfully.

Suzume stared at her, "But… That isn't even remotely true, nor is it relevant in any way to his concerns."

Kanon shrugged, "No, but it'll be something for him to think about all week while you two are apart."

Suzume rolled her eyes and went back to work. "I'll think about it…" she finally muttered and Kanon smiled brightly.

"Well then, now that that's all settled… There's just one little thing I need you to prove to me Rin-chan."

"I have to pass a test?" Rin asked.

Kanon smiled, "Em… Something like that." Kanon dug around in her drawers until she found what she was looking for. Finally, she pulled out her gun and pointed it straight at Rin. "Think of this as 'initiation'. Answer my question satisfactory, and you're in.

"But answer incorrectly and… I shoot you on the spot." She smiled playfully but there was a sense of seriousness in her words, "Feel up to it?"

At first, Rin stood silently, shocked at the sudden turn of events but then she started laughing. "Are you _serious_?" she finally choked out.

Kanon only smiled in reply and Rin understood. Kanon was serious.

Rin glanced at Masamune, who hadn't moved at all since they got there, but he wasn't looking at them, rather, he was looking at his feet instead. She asked slowly, "Then… Your question… What is it?"

Kanon hummed again in approval. "I've already gone over the rules of my shop, but tell me, Rin-chan... If something were to ever happen to me, do you promise to take my place? More importantly, would you be able to kill someone if a job required it?"

Rin looked at her in confusion, "Well…" she hesitated. This was all so odd and sudden. "It's just… I don't understand any of this. You speak of murder as if it were as common as the weather."

"In our world," Kanon said slowly, "It is."

Rin blinked, "What are you saying?"

Kanon sighed and looked over at Date. "Oh, well… You know… In the world of politics, competition can get rough. With people like Oda Nobunaga running around…" she trailed off and wouldn't continue.

"Then… Are you saying I might have to kill people if I become your apprentice?"

Kanon nodded grimly, "Why else do you think all the high officials know how to use a sword or some type of weapon? Officials challenge each other to the death to gain territory.

"Your clown friend, Sanada Yukimura?" Kanon said with a laugh, "Definitely a top-class spear wielder. Possibly the only one who can stand against Boten-chan's claws and survive. Isn't that right, Botenmaru?"

Masamune looked away but muttered something like, "Shut up," and Kanon grinned.

"This city is filled with homicidal maniacs who are just itching to pick a fight with each other," she said matter of fact, "And your Date Masamune is no different."

Finally, Date looked up and said sternly, "That's enough, Kanon-sama."

She only shrugged, "I'm only saying it as it is." She turned her attention back to Rin and asked gently, "So, to answer my question. Are you willing to trade in your sense of right and wrong to get the job done, as requested?"

Rin looked away. "This is insane," she muttered.

"I've been told," Kanon said softly, "That you happen to be quite competent when it comes to wielding war fans and knives, right?"

"And who told you that?" Rin asked suspiciously.

"Well, okay, that's not true… I've just always sort of known." Kanon said with a laugh.

"How do you-?" Kanon grinned and Rin bit off the end of her question. "Never mind," she muttered again. Finally she sighed and stared straight into Kanon's eyes, "So, you're telling me that to become your apprentice, I'll have to learn to become a cold-blooded murderer like, apparently, everyone else here?"

Kanon shrugged again, casually, "Well, only if the need arises. The rest of the time you'll be your harmless little self."

Rin glared and said sarcastically, "Oh, well that's reassuring. And if I decide 'no' to all of this, I assume you kill me?"

Kanon smiled but didn't answer. Rin continued to glare and the room was suddenly completely still.

Finally Rin said, "No." Kanon watched silently as she said again, "No. I will never agree to those conditions."

"Even with a gun aimed at your head and your life before your eyes?"

Rin nodded and Kanon was silent. Rin closed her eyes and said, "I will never take away someone's life… No matter what, I won't kill someone for money. I won't become like you."

"I see," Kanon said solemnly. She laughed unsympathetically, "Hmph, you're an interesting girl, you know that?" With a satisfied smile, she pulled the trigger.

* * *

A/N: -sigh- ... It's so difficult to infuse the Sengoku Era into a modern story I mean... It's a _war_ period, so how do I make that less... War-like for a scool/shoujo sort of story like this? -siiiiiigh- I'm just angsting over here, so don't mind me... -w-

Anyways... Let's go to the next chapter, shall we?

- Jackal


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

_Bang. Poink!_

The reaction was instantaneous, but not in the way Rin had thought. Instead of crashing to the ground with a bullet in her head like she thought, a rubber pellet bounced harmlessly off her forehead. She opened her eyes as it rolled on the floor and then back up at Kanon who had started laughing hysterically.

"Oh my _God, _Botenmaru! You _really_ found a gem here!" she held her sides as her laughing doubled and Rin stared at her in confusion. "I can't believe she actually thought I'd _kill _her! Ha ha!"

"Then I… Passed your test?" Rin asked slowly.

Kanon wiped tears from her eyes as she choked out, "No, no, you failed it alright, but I wasn't really going to kill you…" she calmed down to smile and ask, "I mean, how else would I have gotten my six months' worth of work out of you if you were dead?

"There would be absolutely no profit in your death," she declared, "Therefore, I won't be the one to kill you."

"Oh, great," Rin muttered sarcastically, "Good to know I'm safe for now…"

"Anyways," Kanon said more serious now, "I wasn't kidding about the part where officials actually try killing each other to gain each other's territory… But that has really nothing to do with us."

"Then what do we do?" Rin asked.

"Well, I guess… We're something of mercenaries." Kanon finally admitted, "Sometimes we may be hired to do big jobs like an attempted murder aaand… Sometimes we do only little jobs like save cats from trees." Rin stared at her as she started laughing again, "But in all honesty, we're harmless. Unless someone hires us for a job, we do our own thing."

"Then, what am I supposed to do?" she asked and Kanon shrugged, finally putting her gun away.

"Right now, you're only my apprentice," Kanon said. "So you won't really have to worry about anything more than taking care of my shop while I'm away or whatever."

"And when you're gone?" Rin had only meant when Kanon was away on a job but obviously she misinterpreted it or decided to take the question more seriously because Kanon instantly sobered.

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she held her gun again and weighed it in her hand, then she found a rag and started polishing it. "Well…" she said slowly, "Everyone has to go away some time…"

"Kanon-sama," Masamune spoke up again and Rin jumped in surprise. She had almost forgotten he was there. "Are you trying to say…?" He didn't complete his sentence and Kanon laughed quietly.

"Of course not Boten-chan," she said gently. "No need to worry…" she placed her gun in a drawer and continued brightly. "Now then, now that that's all settled. I think that's about it.

"But about our trip south… I think it's just going to be the five of us since I doubt Nari-chan will come, if Kojuro _and _Botenmaru are going, so now all we've got to do is wait for the day we go. You still have that cell phone Boten-chan got you, right, Rin-chan?"

Rin blinked in surprise wondering how she knew about it, "Er… Yeah. But I haven't used it yet and I don't have an e-mail…"

"Well then, that's settled, because I've already gotten your new email registered as Crimson-Shinigami, k? I already decided for you."

Kanon grinned and Rin sighed, "Figures…"

"It's your new business name as well, so remember it."

"Business name?"

Kanon nodded, "An anonymous name or title is sometimes necessary in my line of work to keep our identities safe."

Rin paled slightly at this and asked nervously, "And remind me again, what is it that your job involves?"

"Mm… Odd jobs… You know, a little bit of this, a little bit of that…" Kanon said vaguely. "Anything, so long as we're paid an equal amount for the service we provide. But… You really won't have to worry about real jobs yet because right now you're only my apprentice."

Rin sighed, "Right, well… I was just as serious as you when I answered your question, so keep that in mind."

"And how serious was that?" Kanon teased. She smirked, "Just kidding. Anyways, I guess that's about it for now. I'll have Boten-chan message you when I've decided on the date, but until then, you're free." Rin turned and started for the door with Date following slowly behind when Kanon called, "And one more thing."

"Hm?"

Kanon tossed something to her and Rin caught it quickly. A small, golden cell phone charm in the shape of partially opened fan lay in her hand and Rin looked up as Kanon grinned, "Welcome to the club, Kazehaya Rin, Crimson Shinigami."

* * *

"Yo, Botenmaru!" Kanon called as Masamune returned from walking Rin to the train station. "I'm going out now, so take care of the shop for me, alright?"

Masamune eyed Kanon with interest before commenting, "Well, you look _**nice, **_you going out to see someone?"

She shrugged and said vaguely, "No, not really… Just popping in somewhere for a meeting. You know, business…" She fingered the dark silvery blue dress thoughtfully and then casually dropped her hand over her hip to hide the suspicious bulge.

"Does Suzu _Onee-chan _know about this… 'Meeting'?" he asked casually.

Kanon answered promptly, "No, and I don't intend to tell her about it, and neither will you." She said the last part slightly threateningly.

He smirked but didn't say anything more. Kanon brushed past him and he watched her walk awkwardly in the formfitting dress she wore. She kept her hand over her hip and hoped he wouldn't see but unfortunately luck wasn't on her side.

Masamune noticed and asked with a smirk, "Gain a little weight?"

Kanon glared as her cheeks heated up slightly and said stiffly, "_No_." Masamune eyed her and she stuck her tongue out at him before grabbing her bag and shouting, "Shut up, brat!" She slammed the door convincingly but Masamune only laughed to himself.

"Whatever you say, Kanon-sama. Just be careful…"

* * *

"Table for one?"

"Yes," Kanon said, smiling charmingly at the waiter. "I made a reservation."

She handed the waiter a red card and he smiled before taking it and saying, "Right this way, madam."

She followed him, ordered some wine, and studied her surroundings. She was at one of the top restaurants in the city to meet with someone she knew, but of course, the idiot was late. _As always… _she thought bitterly and swallowing her wine.

Suddenly a movement outside the floor to ceiling window caught her eye and she smiled grimly. "Finally," she muttered. She took her hand bag and headed to the ladies' room. She peered inside to make sure it was empty and when she saw it was, save one closed stall, headed to the mirror. She took out some lipstick and was just applying it when she said casually, "You know, _Ichirou_, you shouldn't keep me waiting like this all the time. I tend to get cranky after drinking and my patience has been strained lately."

The door to the stall behind her swung open slowly to reveal a girl with long pink hair and wearing modern punk clothes. She glared at Kanon through the mirror and said in a strained voice, "Well I'm _sorry _Kanon-sama, but some of us have to actually work." Kanon smirked and turned around to face the other girl and the pink haired girl added, "And my name is _Ichigo_. I-chi-_go_."

"Your name is whatever your dear mother and father gave to you when you spawned," Kanon said smartly and Ichigo scowled.

"Whatever you say, Kanon_-sama,_" she spat.

Kanon turned her back to her again and brushed a hand through her hair. "Anyways," she said, talking to their reflections, "Any news from Kougran?"

Ichigo shook her head, "No. But he said to tell you he thought he spotted Crow prowling about."

Kanon rolled her eyes, "Right, I'm sure. Because Crow is just some careless idiot who acts on impulse like him."

Ichigo sighed, "Well… No, but you know how Kougran-sama is…"

Kanon shook her head and smiled. "Whatever. But more importantly… Was there…" she turned around casually again, "Anything else?"

As quick as lightning Ichigo had dashed out of the stall and pulled out her knife. In that time Kanon smirked and sidestepped, quickly ripping the side of her dress to the hip to reveal her black pistol and pulling it out of its holster. She twirled quickly and kicked Ichigo into the wall, then grabbing the collar of her shirt and pinning her against the wall.

"I thought you had something more to say," Kanon said cheerfully.

Ichigo scowled and struggled to get away but Kanon only smiled and pressed the tip of her gun into her forehead. "Now, now Ichirou-_kun, _you know that won't work." She shook her head mockingly, "Nice try though. Maybe next time."

Ichigo grimaced, "I'll get you one day; count on it."

"I'm waiting for the day with bated breath," Kanon said sarcastically.

"Along with the day when the one you love changes his mind for you, right?" Ichigo asked cattily.

Kanon scowled, "You know damn well he's not going to. And I don't want him to either."

"Oh, that's _right_," the smaller girl said with mock sympathy, "the only one he's interested in is your identical _twin _sister, right?"

She cackled but Kanon narrowed her eyes and slammed Ichigo against the wall harshly before saying in a dangerously low voice, "Listen, you little gender confused, cross-dressing punk, pull that shit again and I promise you'll find a bullet between your eyes, got that?"

Ichigo only smiled nervously, "Y-you don't have the guts."

Kanon pressed the gun even closer to her forehead, "Oh, don't I? You know as well as anyone that I'm not afraid to get my hands a little dirty and that my job success rate is 99.99 percent. That's why I'm always hired."

Ichigo pressed her lips together grimly and said, "But Kanon-sama, who would deliver your messages to Kougran if I died?"

"Tch, there are plenty of messengers I can pick from. No one would miss you," she said coldly and Ichigo frowned.

"Well, that's not very nice," she said sarcastically,

"Haven't you learned by now that I'm not a nice person?" Kanon was the one smirking now but finally she shoved herself away and holstered her gun. "You aren't worth the bullet though. It must be your lucky day, Weasal."

"Hmph," Ichigo brushed herself off and was just noticing a tear in her tights. "Damn it Kanon-sama, do you know how much these clothes cost me? Now I'm going to have to buy new tights…"

Kanon rolled her eyes, "Maybe this'll teach you to wear pants like normal guys. Then you wouldn't have to spend so much money on girl's clothes."

Ichigo stuck out her tongue, "Whatever."

"Now, get out of my sight."

Ichigo flipped her hair and started heading out the window before adding nastily, "Have fun eating dinner by _yourself_, Kanon-sama."

"You know what?!" Kanon whipped around and aimed her gun again, but Ichigo was already gone. "Tch." She put her gun away and pulled the dress back in place to hide it. "And now_ I_ have to buy a new dress… Damn…"

* * *

Later that night, Kanon was just returning from the restaurant when she walked in to her store and found Kojuro leaning against the counter. "Good evening, Kanon-sama."

Kanon quirked an eyebrow up in amusement as she replied, "Yo, Kojuro. Wasn't expecting you tonight. A bit late for house calls, isn't it?"

He shrugged as Kanon moved behind the counter. "Masamune-sama told me you were up to something and asked me to check up on you," he said calmly.

"I see."

"So?" Kojuro asked.

"So, what?"

"So what is it you're up to?" He folded his arms and Kanon rolled her eyes.

She threw her arms up in exasperation and said, "For the _last _time, I'm not up to anything! The one-eyed brat is lying."

Kanon took her gun out and placed it on the counter as Kojuro sighed, "You know he would never do that."

She glared, "Well then he's getting his panties in a twist or something, I don't know!"

"Kanon-sama… You know he only cares about your safety."

"Well he shouldn't," she said bitterly. "I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."

"Kanon-sama…"

"The only people I need in this world are myself and Suzume."

"Kanon-sama…"

"And stop calling me that!" she snapped. "I've already told you not to, I don't like it either."

He sighed but said, "I'm sorry, _Jackal_."

Kanon sighed too and rubbed her face wearily, "Look, Kojuro. I'm not plotting or scheming _anything_ and I don't know why you all think I am. I'm not nearly as bad as you all make me out to be."

He chuckled, "No, but you are known to be somewhat mischievous."

She pouted but said in a teasing voice, "Well, that's what jackals _are, _aren't they?" He laughed and she walked to stand in front of him so she could promise, "I may be mischievous, but I don't lie…" she paused and as an afterthought said more earnestly, "At least to you."

He smiled, "Alright then Jackal, I believe you."

"Now then, now that that's out of the way…" she wrapped her arms around his neck and asked innocently, "You're coming south with all of us, _right_?"

He sighed as he tried prying himself away, "You know I have to, Masamune-sama said he was going."

"Great!" she said brightly, "Then while he's with Rin-chan, I want you to take care of Suzu-chan for me. Alright?"

He watched her quizzically, "But I have to-"

"Forget him, he's a big kid. But Suzu-chan is fragile. She needs you more." She looked away sadly but then teased, "Besides, he's not gonna want his _mom _hanging over his shoulder during the festival when he's with Rin-chan."

He shook his head, "Honestly, Kanon-sama, I'm his-"

"Shh…" Kanon placed a finger over his lips. "Don't call me that." They stared at each other silently when Kanon smiled sadly and commented, "You know, if I kept my hair down, I'd look _exactly _like her but even then I bet you still wouldn't feel any urge to take advantage of me, would you?"

Kojuro smiled and apologized, "I apologize, Jackal. You're right."

She laughed before poking him between the eyes and moving away, saying crossly, "Don't apologize, dummy. I was testing you, that's all. That's the problem with guys like you... So damned loyal to _everyone._" She stretched then and said brightly, "Well then, I'm going to bed." She glanced at one of the working clocks in the room and said, "It's pretty late too. You know, there's plenty of room in Suzu-chan's bed if you're too tired to walk home~"

She grinned as Kojuro's face brightened and he walked towards the door mumbling, "I'm fine, thanks. I have to make sure Masamune-sama is alright anyways."

"See? You and Suzu-chan are made for each other, you're no fun at all." Kanon teased and he shook his head. She followed him to the door and leaned on the frame as she called softly, "I'll see you tomorrow, Kojuro."

He sent a final backwards wave as he walked down the street and Kanon sighed, "You big dummy. You were supposed to stay right with Suzume…"

* * *

A/N: And so the plot thickens! What will happen next?! I don't know! With Kanon, anything can happen!

... I'm still having trouble with this modern Sengoku era. God help me. -w-

- Jackal

(Kanon is my ticket to the dark side, lol. The only character who can bring in the Sengoku Era.)


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Well, I'm off to get a drink," Kanon said cheerfully. "Take care of the cabin while I'm gone."

"Yes, yes," Rin said tiredly. "I know the drill…"

She rubbed her temples. Yup, she knew the drill by now.

It was the third week of summer break and they had been down south for a week now. Kojuro, Masamune, Rin, and even Motonari, whom Kanon had somehow forced to come with, were all subjected to Kanon's harsh labor.

Suzume seemed to be the only one excluded from her tyranny, and Rin had to be somewhat envious. She could see now why Masamune always seemed so wary of the woman.

They were currently in one of the Mouri's beach houses, as it was being used as a substitute shop for Kanon, but the rest of the time they slept in the Date's cabin not too far away. There was plenty of room in either cabins, but even with so much empty space Rin couldn't help but feel somewhat crowded in with Date. And she knew for a fact that Kanon had purposely placed her in the room right next to his when she said as innocently as she could who would be in the next room if Rin needed any "help". Rin had a sort of idea about what she had meant and Kanon laughed at her discomfort.

Rin sighed. Was she really going to be subject to this kind of harassment for six months? It made her wonder whether the deal she had made with Kanon all those weeks ago were really worth it. Back in the present, Kanon paused by the doorway to add, "And don't forget, the festival is tonight and I'm expecting quite a few deals."

Rin sighed again, "Right." As her new job of 'apprentice' it was her duty to keep straight all the various job offers Kanon got and, surprisingly, there had already been quite a few. Apparently, she was quite popular in these parts and Rin had to wonder exactly how many Kanon actually accepted. She also had to wonder how all these people found her in the first place.

At the moment, this was her only job, but Kanon promised that later on she herself would be going on the requests. Rin wasn't too thrilled to hear that.

The apparent reason Kanon had brought them all south was for the annual festival they held. They always had it this time of year, and as she had gushed, they made the best sake in the world so, naturally, she had to come. She had hinted for Masamune to take Rin but he either didn't understand or ignored her because he hadn't even mentioned it.

This made Rin curious. Now that she thought about it, he really hadn't done much with her. She would've thought that he would make some sort of innuendo and tease her about spending her summer vacation with him, even for a job, but ever since her first "job meeting" with Kanon, he had been oddly distant to her.

Even during class, he didn't talk to her as much as before, and she knew for certain that he wasn't trying as hard to get her attention. Was he finally leaving her alone?

In one way, Rin was glad. After all, this was what she had always wanted, right? But in another she couldn't help but worry. It wasn't like Masamune to be so reserved towards her and she wondered what had made the change.

Surely he wasn't _really _finally taking her request of leaving her alone into consideration, but then, what made the dramatic change? Had she offended him in some other way? She kept thinking it over but was unable to come up with any conclusions.

Rin started sorting through a box of random items as she continued to think. It was just her and Masamune at the moment. Kanon was the last to leave after forcing Suzume and Kojuro out somewhere together, and Motonari had slunk out silently by himself.

There was a sort of heavy silence between the two, and the sound of ticking clocks was the only proof that time hadn't completely frozen. Rin felt tense, and she could see that Masamune felt just as awkward by the way he tapped the front desk with his finger.

"Well," Date said, breaking the silence, "I'm going out."

"Out?" Rin asked as she started unpacking another box.

He nodded and walked to the door, but suddenly he paused. He looked at it silently as he thought. He turned back to her and opened his mouth as if to say something, but then promptly closed it shut again.

He shook his head and finally said, "See you later."

"Wait, Date!" Rin suddenly called and he paused again to look at her, the door still half open.

"Yes?" he asked casually.

"I- well- tonight-…" Rin was at a loss for words and she could suddenly feel her face heat up. She focused on the broken clock in her hands as she said timidly, "Well, tonight Kanon-sama said there was going to be a festival and… I… Well, I was wondering…" She bit her lip as she tried forcing the words out. She asked in a rush, "Will you come with me?"

She didn't know why she had so suddenly asked, but she had a strange feeling that she should. It was completely on impulse and uncharacteristic of her, and she wondered what made her think of even attempting it. She wasn't really falling for Masamune, was she?

She looked down at her hands now as she could feel her face burning brightly and Date was silent. She looked back up to see him swing the door from side to side thoughtfully.

"Hmm…" he said aloud. He asked, "And I assume we would be going out as, 'just friends', right?" He smirked as she blushed even harder and nodded. "Well," he said in mock seriousness, "I suppose I could take you but only on one condition."

Rin looked up in surprise to meet his mischievous eye as she asked, "A condition?"

He nodded as he stretched deliberately, "Yeah, a condition."

"Okay," Rin said slowly and warily. "What is it?"

"If you want me to take you to the festival, then you have to ask me properly."

"Ask you properly?" Rin asked in confusion, "But didn't I just-?"

"You have to use my first name _and_ tell me what you want me to do."

Rin blinked again in confusion, "I don't understand." She finally said and Masamune laughed, suddenly enjoying her embarrassment.

"Fine, I'll say it for you and you repeat it, _**ready**_?"

"Nn…" Rin looked away as she thought about it. Suddenly, she wasn't too sure about this whole idea. She sighed, too late to back out now… "Fine," she agreed.

"_**Alright**_," Masamune said approvingly. He closed the door again and took a seat in front of the desk where she was. He said calmly, "Masamune."

Rin raised her eyebrow questioningly and he nodded encouragingly, "_**Go on**_, repeat after me."

"Ma… Masa… mu…ne…" Rin said hesitantly. She was so used to calling him by just his last name, his first felt heavy and strange on her tongue. Suddenly she felt her heart beat quicker. _Stop it, _she reprimanded herself. _Why are you acting so crazy?_

He nodded again, "_**Come on**_, with more _**conviction**_."

She sighed as she blushed and said, this time more satisfactory, "Masamune."

"I want you…" he said.

"I want you…"

"You do?" he teased and she glared. He held his hands up innocently and continued, "To…"

"To," she repeated.

"Sleep with me."

"Sleep with m-" Rin's face heated up considerably as she yelled, "You jerk!"

Date started laughing so hard he was practically crying as he said over and over, "I'm kidding, I'm _kidding! _I couldn't resist trying, you were so into it. I'm sorry._"_

Rin turned away from him with a huff and said icily, "Well now, if you're finished you can just head out again. I'm through with you."

Date calmed down as he said with a gentle laugh, "Nah, I suppose I'll stay here instead. You'll get _**bored**_ here by yourself."

Rin sniffed, "I'll be fine, thanks very much. Now, get out." How could she have thought he would actually leave her alone? She must have been out of her mind because he was clearly enjoying this now.

"Hm…" Masamune was still smiling but he got up and headed towards the door again. "Well, I guess you're right. But are you sure you'll be fine by yourself?"

"Quite," Rin replied, her face still red.

"_**Alright**_," Masamune said with a resigned sigh. He opened the door and waved, "See you tonight, then. I expect you to show me a _**good time**_."

Rin sniffed, "Only in your dreams."

He laughed one more time before leaving and repeating with an amused tone, "_**Right**_, only in my dreams…"

* * *

"Whew," Masamune whistled with surprise as Rin joined him outside, later that night. He grinned and teased, "Well don't you look nice, are you sure you didn't want us to go as a couple?"

Rin's face heated up as she fingered her black yukata self-consciously. "Of course not!" she insisted. She didn't know what he was talking about.

The yukata was so plain it was laughable. It was just black with a small smattering of white sakura print at the bottom and collar and a little trail on the sleeves. Suzume had helped tie a white and black obi around her waist and Kanon had insisted she wear her long black hair pinned into a bun with a small pin (at only a day's worth extra cost).

Rin twirled a strand of her bangs, which hung at the sides of her face and she repeated, "Of course not."

She avoided his gaze and him entirely because he seemed so casual. He wore a plain blue yukata as well and, Rin's face heated up at the observation, loosely. He had pulled his arm out of the sleeve and rested it in the folds of his clothes so it was partially open to reveal a very lean, flat chest.

Rin turned her gaze around and tried looking wherever he wasn't. He noticed her embarrassment and laughed. "Well, if you see anything you like, let me know." Her face darkened even more. "Shall we go?"

She nodded and they walked towards town.

The whole air buzzed with excitement, and laughter filled their ears. People of all ages chattered happily and you couldn't help but get caught up in it. Even Rin found herself smiling, for no particular reason at all and Date watched her.

Her attention was so caught into the people around her, she barely even noticed the boy beside her place a protective hand on her back. So light, she didn't even notice it, but enough for other people to see who to talk with if they had a problem with her, not that anyone did of course.

They had run into Motonari in his green yukata a few times, and spotted Kojuro with Suzume, both awkwardly enjoying themselves, but they didn't see Kanon at all. Rin wondered if she was okay but Masamune assured her that she was probably out getting drunk somewhere and not to worry at all. Rin wasn't too sure but let the matter drop.

They passed many stands filled with merchandise ranging from innocent things like children's toys to, as Rin quickly ignored, 'toys' for adults. She hoped Date didn't notice them.

There were various food stands as well, and crowds hung around game stands. A few sold elegant kimonos and Rin wandered to one that sold a particular set of hair ornaments. Glass chopsticks with colored beads and hair pins with small flowers were arranged neatly in small bins.

She had already bought gifts for Yukimura and Sasuke, on remembering that Yukimura practiced spear fighting in his free time, a book of different techniques, and for Sasuke a small bottle of 'supreme soy sauce'. She still wanted to get something for her sister and especially something for Kasuga, even with as much trouble as the blonde girl gave her.

After a thought, Rin decided to buy different hair pins. She bought one shaped in an orchid for Kasuga and for her sister, Hotaru, whose name means 'firefly', she bought a firefly pin.

"For yourself?" Masamune asked by her side.

She laughed, "No, for Kasuga-chan and my sister."

"Hm…" He looked thoughtfully at the stand. "I didn't know you had a sister."

She shrugged, "I have an older brother too, Kaito, but he hasn't been home in a while." She looked away thoughtfully and mused, "I think he said he was just traveling…"

"I see." Masamune picked up a butterfly pin and examined it. "I guess I never got to see either of them back then."

She turned to him and asked, "What about you?" He glanced at her and she clarified, "Do you have any siblings?"

He looked away and avoided her gaze as he said, "A younger brother."

"Oh?" Rin asked in surprise. This was news to her, as she'd been to his house countless of times and had never once seen signs of another boy in the house. Of course, Masamune's home was huge and it wasn't as if Rin had gone on a complete tour of it, but she knew for a fact that she had never seen a younger boy around.

Now that she came to think of it, she had never truly seen any signs of Masamune's parents either. Only Kojuro and a few other servants seemed to ever be around. Suddenly Rin was curious and she asked, "Date, your brother, how old-?"

"Would you like this?" he suddenly asked, holding up a golden pin in the shape of a fan. Four white ribbons fell to about shoulder length and two ended with a pair of silver bells.

Rin blushed as she turned away, "N-no, I couldn't accept a gift from you…"

"And why not?" he asked in amusement.

"W-well, because we aren't a couple… And if you bought me something that pretty, I'd be in debt to you again."

"Mm…" Masamune sighed, "_**Right**_."

"Besides," Rin mumbled, "I'm not… Pretty… So, it would only look out of place."

Masamune watched her as she gripped the bag holding her gifts and he sighed again. "You're right," he finally agreed and she looked back at him, somewhat wounded.

Suddenly he grinned and said, "But only because you would outshine its beauty. You're not pretty, but only because you're worth more than it."

Rin's eyes widened in surprise and he placed the ornament in her hair, brushing back her bangs and parting it to the right. His hand lingered at the side of her face before he grinned, "Yup, something so simple definitely looks out of place on you."

Rin's face turned a deep red and she stammered, "D-Date…"

He smiled gently as he placed a tucked another strand of hair behind her ear and said softly, "You can thank me by calling me by my first name."

"M-Masamune…" she finally said and he grinned.

"_**Perfect**_," he removed his hand and paid the clerk as Rin fingered the bell at her shoulder. "Well, anyways…"

He turned back to face her after looking at a clock on the stand and then at the sky, which had darkened considerably since they went out. He said, "I think the fireworks should be starting anytime now."

"Fireworks?" Rin asked.

He smiled, "Yeah, and I know the perfect area to view them. _**Come on**_!" He grabbed her hand without permission and began walking quickly. His hand was larger than hers and bony, _are all guys like that? _She wondered and Rin's face heated up. She stumbled to keep up and he yelled, "_**Let's run**_!"

"What?" she called back, unable to understand what he said but as he picked up his pace she had no choice but to do the same. Rin had no idea where they were going, but she would have followed even if he wasn't holding her hand.

Suddenly they were running through the streets, yelling and warning people to get out of the way and by the time they reached the beach they were both panting and laughing loudly on the sand. They collapsed with exhaustion and Masamune lay flat on his back.

They were still laughing but soon the sound of the waves crashing was the only sound left. Rin placed her feet in the water and let the edges of her yukata get wet. The wind blew gently and the bells on her ornament jingled now, reminding her of their presence. She touched the pin gently and blushed. She was glad it was dark now, so Masamune couldn't see her face.

The moon was out and the sky was completely clear of clouds so every star shone. Rin gazed at them and she smiled. "The sky is so much clearer here," she said off-handedly.

Masamune sat up and said casually, "It's probably just because we're farther away from Oda Nobunaga."

"Heh?" Rin looked over at him and he shrugged. "You know, the "Demon King of the Sixth Heaven"."

Rin asked, "Is he really that bad?"

"Pfft, obviously," Date laughed. He said grimly, "But… One day, he'll fall. And he'll fall hard."

"Hm… Masamune-"

"The fireworks!" He suddenly yelled and jumping to his feet. He pointed and indeed, there were fireworks going off. Rin smiled widely as he grinned and he helped pull her to her feet.

She grasped his hand tightly and stood up as he watched the sky. He was laughing and yelling loudly at the fireworks and she laughed with him. She watched his face and studied his amused smile. This was Date Masamune when he was truly happy, a side he rarely let anyone see.

Suddenly, a sharp pain traveled through her chest and Rin put a hand to her heart and winced. She gripped her yukata as she wondered in panic, _What, what is this? Why is my heart beating so fast? Why does it hurt all of a sudden? Why- … am I in love with Date Masamune?_

She blinked in surprise as she thought that and shook her head. The bells jingled in her hair again. _But I don't love him… I've been fighting against him the whole time I've known him; this doesn't mean anything._

_Are you sure? _Asked a tiny voice in the back of her head. _Are you really sure you don't love him? Weren't you secretly over-joyed when he called you 'beautiful'? Or when he took your hand? Don't you get nervous and excited when you're around him?_

_Of course not! _Rin answered furiously. She gripped her yukata tightly. _Of course not… _she thought sadly this time, _besides, I could never seriously date him because he's… The head of an entire district and I'm just… Just Rin._

But now that she had thought that, she finally realized and understood the single fact she had been fighting for over three months. She loved him.

For the all the time she had known him, she had liked him. And now… Like almost everyone else who met Date Masamune, she loved him. And now that she finally realized that, it hurt.

It was so much easier to pretend to hate him because she knew, deep down, they could never be a couple. His social status prevented it and she had always known it, so to protect herself, she told herself she hated him. That he was dumb. A player. A complete jerk.

And although she probably still thought all those things about him to some degree, she also had to admit that it was what attracted him to her. He was dumb because he never stopped trying to get what he wanted and when the girl he so obviously like so coldly put him down. He was a player because he always led her on that he liked her, but never openly asked her to go out with him or used the term 'love'. And he was a complete jerk because he wouldn't realize how head-over-heels she had found herself with him.

It would've been perfect though… If he weren't the head of the Date family, one of the most powerful reigning families in the city.

At that thought, Rin suddenly felt her eyes water. _That's right… I could never… 'We' could never…!_

"Rin?"

Rin looked up and could see Masamune watching her with concern. "What's wrong?"

Rin took a moment to reply, "Nothing." She forced out cheerfully but he frowned.

He said matter-of-fact, "Rin, you're crying."

"No, I'm not-" He lifted a finger to her eye and wiped off a tear; catching it gently and showing it to her.

"Yes, you are," he said softly. They were so close now that she could still hear him even above the noise of the fireworks.

Rin looked away. She laughed shortly, "Well… I guess I just got a little over emotional, that's all."

"About what?" he asked curiously.

She shrugged and said cheerfully, "Everything! I just… _Love_ fireworks!" she laughed loudly and pointed, "See! They even make shapes when they explode, aren't they beautiful?"

He continued to watch her as she forced herself to put on a happy air. Finally he turned and said, "Hey, Rin."

"Mm?" she asked.

"You know, I really wasn't kidding when I told you I liked you all those weeks ago."

Rin's could feel her heart beat as she turned to him in surprise, "Oh? What brought this up?"

He shrugged. "Just thought you needed reminding."

They watched the fireworks silently now and the colors flooded the dark sky. With a sigh, Rin turned to face him. She asked, "Masamune?"

"Mm?" it was his turn to use the monosyllable in acknowledgment.

She took a deep breath to calm her nerves as she said, "Masamune, I lo- … I love-" suddenly she choked and her words died down.

"Yes?" he turned to face her and her cheeks heated up. She looked out at the empty water and the wind blew again. _Just. Say. The words!_

She screamed to herself, _Just say them, damn it! Say them!_

The words felt heavy in her mouth as she struggled and she shut it tightly. Finally she began crying and she whispered furiously, "I can't do it. I can't do it, I can't-!" she started crying as she tried hiding her face behind her hands.

"Rin?" Date asked in alarm. He put a hand on her shoulder and tried forcing her to look up but she refused. "Tell me what's wrong, why are you so upset?" She shook her head as she cried even harder and all he could do was watch.

"I would never be able to please you," she cried and he stared at her.

He asked in confusion, "Please me? Why would you have to do that?"

"Because I love-" she stopped again. "Because I-!" She continued to cry. Why was this so difficult? Confessions happened all the time in shoujo manga, so this should be easy! Then why was she struggling so much?

Masamune didn't get it either. All he saw was the girl he liked randomly breaking down and crying. Sure, he'd gotten ton of confessions before, but none were so emotional and he wasn't sure how to react. At least, that's what he thought this could be, but then why was Rin so upset? He just didn't get girls sometimes.

Tentatively he put his hand on her other shoulder and then pulled her against him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder and weaved a hand in the back of her hair. She continued to cry as he soothed, "It's all right, Rin." He murmured softly into her hair, "It's **_alright_**. I'm here."

At first she was so shocked she had stopped crying, but then when it wore off she responded in the only way she could think of. She wrapped her arms under his and continued to cry.

_I love you, I love you. Masamune, I love you! _She wanted so badly to repeat those words over and over for him, but she couldn't. They just wouldn't come out and they hurt to hold in.

It was that night Rin finally understood what it was like to love someone so much it hurt, and she realized the pain of being unable to really be with them. She pressed her cheek against his chest and he just stroked her head comfortingly. She held onto the back of his yukata as if he would disappear if she let go, just like the fireworks that continued to explode above them.

And so it was under the brilliantly shining fireworks where Kazehaya Rin realized that she was truly in love with Date Masamune.

* * *

A/N: I thought I'd end it while it was sweet. :)

So Rin finally decided to stop being a total bitch! This is certainly a new character development! What will happen next? Will she really be able to confess one day? Find out (relatively) soon in (one of) the future chapters!

- Jackal

(Sometimes I wish my life were a shoujo manga... xD Life would be so much easier.)


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

"_Please Masamune… Don't leave me! Promise me that… You'll never leave my side; I don't want to be alone as long as you're alive…!"_

_The silence that followed was deafening and she was afraid he would refuse until he said, "… I promise." Warm arms tightened around her protectively as the voice rumbled softly again, "I promise."_

* * *

_Mm… Warmth… _Rin nuzzled her head into whatever was emanating it as she thought again, _Why is it… So warm? _She cracked her eyes open slowly and was instantly blinded by the morning sun, which was slowly making its ascent across the sky. "Ah!" she winced as she moved to cover her eyes but something stopped her, and that's when she realized that she was under something. Something heavy.

But not just some_thing_, she soon realized, some_one. _She blinked in surprise and turned her head to the side. Her face instantly flushed when she met the sleeping one of Masamune's. One of his arms supported the back of her neck while the other was wrapped protectively around her chest. She found her own wrapped under his, gripping the back of his yukata and she quickly pulled them away. Suddenly, she was wide awake and starting to panic. She took a deep breath to calm herself.

_Don't panic, Rin! _She commanded quickly, as she bit her lip harshly and tried taking deep breaths, _just, whatever you do… Don't panic!_

_But how can I not panic?! _She yelled back to herself. _You're on the middle of a beach in a summer yukata… And Date Masamune is sleeping on top of you! Wh-wh-what- what do I-?!_

She started struggling underneath him to try and free herself and suddenly Masamune grunted sleepily, "Quit… **_Squirming_**."

Instantly Rin froze as he shifted on her. His nose brushed against her neck and she could feel his light breaths brush across her skin. She blushed furiously and hissed, "Masamune, _Masamune! _Wake up! _Wake up, _dammit!"

"Mm… Just… A few more minutes," he mumbled. She shivered and tried not to notice how he suddenly placed his lips against the curve between her neck and shoulder. She grit her teeth in frustration and embarrassment. As early as it was, there were already a few early morning swimmers and although none of them were paying attention to the two, Rin felt that everyone was watching and she felt thoroughly embarrassed, even if the sleeping lump on top of her didn't care.

She started shaking him again, more urgently this time and said again, "Masamune, wake up! If we don't get back to the shop, Kanon-sama will be pissed!"

That seemed to instantly wake him up and his eye shot open in alarm. He shot his head up and looked around, asking quickly, "Kanon-sama, where?"

Rin rolled her eyes but sighed in relief as she said calmly, "She's not here… But if she doesn't find us back at the shop, she might be."

Masamune sighed as he quickly looked at the clock on his cell phone beside them and said, "**_Relax_**. It's way too early for her to be up… And for me too, for that matter."

He settled his head back on top of her chest and she blushed furiously. "Get _off _me, you bastard!" she wanted to scream, but she was afraid she might attract attention so instead she took a deep breath and forced out as calmly as she could, "Please, Masamune… Just get off me so I can go back, and then you can sleep all you want on this beach."

"Sorry, but you made me promise last night not to leave you," he mumbled tiredly.

"Eh?" Rin asked in surprise. Masamune shifted his head so he could look her in the eye without lifting his head.

He asked, "Mm… You don't remember?"

Rin bit her lip as her face reddened. "N-no… Why? What happened?"

He smirked slightly as he rested his eye again. "Ho… See, I could tell you any sort of delicious lie that could pop into my head right now and you'd have to believe me because you have no proof against it."

Rin glared even though he wasn't looking as she said hotly, "Well, you'd better tell me the damn truth or else I'll tell Katakura-san a sad, woeful tale of how the head of the Date clan took advantage of a poor, helpless young girl such as myself."

"Houu?" Date asked with another smirk. He opened his eye lazily to meet hers again and asked, "But wouldn't he wonder why a poor, helpless girl like you decided to come with me in the first place?"

"W-well, if I trusted you, then it would be all too easy."

"Hm… Would it now? And do you?" he asked and a playful glint appeared in his eye. Her face reddened in response and he laughed, "Well, anyways, nothing really happened. You were tired after crying so much and fell asleep. I meant to wake you up and leave, but I guess I fell asleep as well… And you had a killer death grip on my yukata, so I couldn't really leave even if I wanted to."

"Oh?" Rin asked, she mumbled, "Oh... Sorry..."

"Mm…" he rested his head on her chest again, "Before you fell asleep, you made me promise to stay by your side, so I did. Aren't I kind?" He moved his arm from behind her neck to under her back and he pulled her closer to him. "The least you can do for me now is let me rest some more… Now, be quiet so I can get back to sleep." He positioned himself so he could use her chest as a pillow. "You know," he mumbled sleepily, "For someone so flat chested, yours makes an excellent head rest."

"Y-you… Bastard!" Rin practically screeched but Masamune smiled, unfazed.

"Mm… And a **_sleepy _**one at that…" Rin continued to struggle against him but she knew it was no use. He was holding her tightly and was obviously much stronger, even in the tired state he was in.

"Do you have some sort of death wish?" she asked half-heartedly, already feeling the fight drain out of her. She didn't know what time it was exactly, but her body could feel that it was early.

Date's light laugh brushed across her neck. "Not really, but if I do happen to die, I hope it to be in your _loving _arms." He was being slightly sarcastic and Rin glared.

She huffed, "I don't love you."

"Hm…" was the only reply she got.

Finally she sighed, and relaxed. Date seemed to have really fallen back asleep and she could feel his breath rustle against the folds of her yukata. She tried in vain to pull them tighter but they only opened up again.

Rin glared at the brown mass of hair on top of her. "Jerk!" she muttered. She moved the arm opposite from him and tried stretching but couldn't move. Then a strange idea came to her. Hesitantly, instead of putting it back on the ground, she rested it in his hair. She ran it through a few locks. _His hair is so soft… _She mused and blushed at the thought. She removed her hand and placed it back underneath her.

She sighed and her breath ruffled his hair. "You're such a jerk." She muttered.

With a sigh, she resigned herself as a temporary body pillow for the one-eyed boy. By then though, her body was sore and her back was so numb she could barely feel it. She tried stretching again by pointing her toes and, tentatively because she didn't want to wake Masamune up, she arched her back. It pressed her body against his and she hoped to God he was still asleep.

Luckily, he seemed to be a pretty heavy sleeper and she got through the ordeal quickly. Now, more relaxed than before, she lay back calmly, and waited for the sleeping dragon to reawaken.

_Ten more minutes. _Rin promised herself firmly, closing her own eyes. _I'll give him just ten more minutes…_

* * *

Later that morning, after Masamune finally got up when a hard kick to his shin woke him up, after a quick yelp, he jolted awake. Rin only smiled sweetly as he sat back and nursed his small injury and after a quick squabble they left.

The two snuck back to the shop because Masamune figured it would be safer to go there instead of 'home'. He had been certain that Kanon would still be asleep after a long night of drinking, but as soon as they stepped through the door a sly voice asked, "And where might _you _two have been?"

Rin jumped and smiled guiltily at Kanon, who smirked at her and Masamune as they walked into the door of the shop. Kanon was sitting comfortably on one of the bottom steps to a hidden staircase which, as Rin had been told, lead straight to the attic, which she'd never been to. She held something in her hands but the desk and mountain of things on top obscured it.

"O-out?" Rin asked as more of a question than an answer.

"Out," Masamune elaborated even further. "Why are you here so early?"

"I could ask you the same question," Kanon only replied with a grin. She shrugged though, "I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd open early today."

Masamune eyed her but she only smiled back innocently. After a while he yawned widely and stretched before heading towards the back of the cabin, "Well, I'm going up to take a nap or something. Your idiot brother isn't around, is he?"

"If you mean Nari-chan, no, he's wandered off somewhere," she replied indifferently and he nodded approvingly. When he was gone, Kanon turned on Rin and teased, "Ahh, out a bit late last night?" She winked at Rin, who had turned beet red and asked, "You weren't doing anything _inappropriate, _now, were you, Rin-chan?"

"O-of course not!" Rin shouted a little harsher than she had intended. She cleared her throat quickly before mumbling again, "Of course not."

She wouldn't look Kanon in the eyes and she laughed, "That's good. I mean, we wouldn't want a _seventh _person to join us on our little summer vacation, now would we?"

Rin shook her head and Kanon laughed again. She turned back to her work behind the counter and Rin wandered up to see what it was. She took a step back when she noticed that it was a wooden marionette and it reminded her of the one she had found in the glass case from her first visit to the antique store.

It was only about the size of a normal sized hand and obviously incomplete, as it was completely blank and didn't even have any hair yet.

"Er… Kanon-sama?" Rin asked hesitantly.

The older woman chided without looking up from her work, "Hey, didn't I tell you to call me 'Jackal' when we're alone?"

Rin shook her head, "Well, you mentioned it, but you didn't really elaborate…"

Kanon rolled her eyes, "Yeah, well, I figured a smart girl like you would already understand."

She sighed, "Okay then, Jackal-sama-"

"Too much," Kanon said dismissively, "It's just 'Jackal', but only when it's either you and me or you and Kojuro or Suzume."

This distracted Rin for a second from her main question and she asked, "Huh? But why only them?"

"Because they're the only ones who really know it," Kanon replied immediately. She grabbed a screwdriver from a box of tools beside her and tightened a screw in the puppet's arm. She bent it back and forth a few times experimentally before smiling in approval. She said proudly, "There."

She turned to look at Rin and asked irritably, "So are you going to work off your debt to me or are you just going to stand there?" She nodded to some boxes across the room and commanded, "Go sort through those and place whatever's in them on shelves with things you think look similar."

"But I'm still in a summer yukata…" Rin said, pointing to it.

"Well, whose fault is that? You should have gotten dressed in better clothes before coming here."

Rin hesitated and Kanon sighed, "Alright, let's make this a game then. For every three items you put away, I'll answer any little question that pops into your head. The first one I'll give to you since you came in so early."

Rin groaned but finally nodded and set off to do her work. "Fine," she muttered. She pulled out a broken clock and grouped it with several others. She couldn't understand why Kanon kept collecting them if they didn't work properly. "Right, so my first question then…" she dug into the box and pulled out a china doll. "There's a doll in your shop that I've been meaning to ask you about. The one in the glass case?"

"Yeah?" Kanon grunted, placing the screwdriver in her mouth as she tightened the strings on her project, "Vhat about it?"

"Did you make it?"

Her words were obscured as she replied, "Yup… Ca-all it a 'hobby' if you vant, ba-ht making marionettes ish da talent I'm most known for."

"Why?" Rin paused her work and Kanon pointed a finger.

"Keep working," was all she said. Rin glared but sorted out three more items.

"Mm…" Kanon took the screwdriver out of her mouth and said slowly now, "Because it's what I'm good at, I suppose. I didn't learn to play piano or violin like Suzume did… And I'm not as good with a katana either, so I guess I needed something that she couldn't do."

She studied her work tenderly and smoothed a hand across its cheek. "I guess… At the time, I was just a little jealous of her, so I found someone to teach me and… I fell in love with it."

Rin sorted through another group of items before asking, "And why does the one in the shop look like me?"

"Oh, does it?" Kanon asked innocently. She turned to one of the shelves in the wall to pull out a glass eye. She studied it before admitting, "Well, I suppose she does. Just a little."

"A little?" Rin asked incredulously, "How about 'a lot'? So, why?"

Kanon laughed shortly, "You ask that too much. Pick another question."

Rin sighed irritably, "Don't dodge the question."

"And don't dodge your responsibility!" Kanon shot back with another laugh.

"You said you'd answer any question I asked, so long as I worked."

"But did I promise?" Kanon smiled.

Rin ignored her. "Jackal, why did you make a doll that looks like me?"

They stared at each other in a silent, determined battle until Kanon finally returned to her work. She was using a chisel now to scrape out facial features on her puppet and seeing that she wouldn't answer, Rin slowly returned to her own work. They ignored each other and Rin returned to her thoughts.

Just as she was putting away a picture frame with fireworks painted on the wood, last night's events came rushing back to her and she had to bite her lip from crying out. As she thought about it, she realized how humiliating it had been.

Not only had she cried on Date Masamune, the one boy she had been so determined to hate, but she had to realize how unavoidable her true feelings for him were. If it could be any boy in the world, why did it have to be for _him_? If she had fallen for someone else, _anyone _else, like Yukimura or even Sasuke, then maybe it could have worked but ooooh no, it just _had _to be the one-eyed pervert.

Rin placed the frame on the shelf with a clatter and she stared at it morosely.

Even if he did 'like her' like he said, it could never work out. If he was going to control the city like she believed he one day would, he'd most likely end up having to marry a girl from a powerful family as well. Well, that just about bumped Rin right out of _that_ love story.

_Right… _she thought, _it's not possible because we're just too-_ Suddenly a thought came to her. _Wait a minute, Suzume-sensei and Katakura-san… They're getting married and they're on different social levels, right?_

Abruptly she turned to look at Kanon and asked, "Jackal…?"

"Mm?"

Shyer now, she had turned her back so Kanon couldn't see her facial features and asked almost inaudibly, "Do you… Believe it possible for high ranking person to fall in love with a nobody?"

Kanon answered immediately, "Of course. I mean, look at Suzu-chan and Kojuro."

"Well… Yeah…" Rin said slowly. "B-but what if it weren't because of an arranged marriage?"

Kanon only laughed, as she had already caught on to what Rin was suggesting. _She can be so dumb when it comes to affectionate emotions, _Kanon thought with another laugh. _Just like Suzume… _She answered again, "But it wasn't because of an arranged marriage."

"What?!" Rin turned to face her but Kanon only smiled faintly.

"Like I said, they aren't sticking with each other because of an arranged marriage."

"But… Everyone else says-"

"What the officials want to hear," Kanon said simply.

"But that doesn't make sense," Rin shook her head. "If they aren't together because of an arranged marriage, then-"

"They're together because they truly love each other," Kanon finished quietly.

"They… Do?" Rin asked, unsure. As far as she had seen, whenever Suzume and Kojuro were together, the closest thing they did romantically was touch shoulders. They didn't hug… Or hold hands, or sit next to each other, even when the chances arose… And they were so formal with each other!

Kojuro always addressed Suzume by her full name with the respective honorific of "-sama" and she only ever addressed him with "-san". As far as anyone could see, they were just mere friends. Nothing more.

Kanon laughed softly, "I admit, the two aren't exactly the most 'lovey-dovey' type, however, that's only because they're shy." She laughed again, fondly, "They act foreign to each other in public because they're afraid to be open, but when they think they're alone…"

She sighed affectionately and squealed, "They're so cute!"

Rin watched her as she smiled widely and she grinned now. "My sister may not seem like it, but she's such an adorable klutz! And Kojuro's one to match!" she laughed, "Like I remember this one time, she was carrying a pot of tea, and she tripped over her own feet! The tea was all over the place, _and _him! Kojuro was just lucky that it had cooled off a while before she decided to bring it."

She almost cackled now at the memory. "She's so refined and elegant when she's around people, you'd never believe how hard she works to keep it up." She sighed again as Rin thought about it.

"Then…" she asked, "The whole 'arranged marriage' thing is a lie?"

"Well…" Kanon started, "Mostly… I mean, they _do _love each other, and the head of our family wanted us to decide on a high ranking official that would protect our family, but… She was denied."

"Eh?" Rin asked, now abandoning her work completely.

Kanon sobered and she suddenly mumbled, "Actually, he was _mine _to begin with…"

Rin paused to look at her in mild surprise. "Oh?"

She pointed at the bookcase in front of Rin and lifted an eyebrow playfully. "_Work_," she directed.

Rin sighed, "I know, I know. Just answer my questions! What did you mean that he was 'yours', first?"

Finally the older woman shrugged, "Okay… Well, I mean, the family decided that if anyone were going to marry a servant-boy like him, I would be the one because they wanted Suzu-chan with someone better. You know, more powerful. There's only about a minute difference between us, but they still regard her as the 'better', 'older' one, so naturally they want her to have the very best." She laughed somewhat mirthlessly and asked, "Pretty stupid, huh? My family is so old fashioned, it's ridiculous."

"But then, if that's true, how did Suzume-sensei end up with Katakura-san?" Rin continued, pushing a box further into its niche to ensure its safety.

"Mm…" Kanon exhaled deeply before finally admitting, "I gave him up."

Rin's eyebrows rose, "Really?"

"Well, no."

Rin waited for an explanation and Kanon sighed. "To be honest, he was never really mine to begin with..."

"But you said-"

"I _know _what I said!" Kanon suddenly flared. She glared slightly and Rin watched her quietly, her sudden anger uncharacteristic. Kanon settled back slowly with her cheek propped on her hand again and she looked away. She seemed agitated all of a sudden. After a moment's silence she finally explained, "He was mine in the sense that we would be a couple, but he never loved me. He loved Suzu-chan. So I gave him to her. That's all."

They were quiet again and Rin continued tidying the bookcase up. Kanon dug through the top drawer in her desk and after a few mild curses and intense digging, pulled out another small chisel. She went back to scraping some finer points onto her doll.

"So," she said to get Rin's attention. Rin glanced over at her and she held it up for her to see. "You want to know why I gave him up, right?"

Rin flicked her eyes away quickly to think about it before nodding and saying, "Yes. I'm curious about it…"

"I thought so." Kanon nodded in amused approval, "You're a nosy one, aren't ya?"

Suddenly she blushed and quickly lied, "I-I'm sorry for prying Jackal, it's just that I find all this interesting. I've never had this sort of drama back home or even at school, so…"

"And you wouldn't, by some chance, be thinking of having the same idea going on with a certain daimyo I know of, would you?" Rin blushed wildly and Kanon laughed. "To be expected. Anyways, I guess I'll start from the beginning. Like, the very beginning. It'll be easier that way..." She looked off into the distance as her eyes glazed over, "I guess… It was when we were in high school… Your age, probably."

She closed her eyes, remembering, "Mm… That's right. It seems so long ago now…"

* * *

"_Yooo, Kagetsuna!"_

_Kojuro sighed as his younger classmate caught up to him. She slid to a stop in front of him as he said firmly, "Kanon-san… I have already told you that is not my name anymore. I serve the Date clan now… And so my name is Kojuro."_

_Kanon rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue. "Yeah? Well I already told you that Kanon's not really my name either, and you still call me it!"_

_Kojuro sighed as he rubbed his temples, "It may not be your official name, but it's what the Mouri clan gave you, so you need to respect that."_

"_Che, you're such a prude!" Kanon crossed her arms. Suddenly she grinned though, "You remind me of my sister! She's just as bad as you, if not worse!"_

_Kojuro raised an eyebrow at her. "Your sister?" Kojuro asked. He'd known Kanon since his first year in high school, after the entrance ceremony. He had been examining the plants and wondering if he would be allowed to start a garden there when she had flounced right up to him and started chatting as if they were old friends. He had no idea why she had decided to pick on him, but she had._

_From there, she started visiting him and somehow they became real friends… Of a sort. Even so, Kojuro sometimes found it difficult to understand the young girl. She was oddly energetic and always pulling a prank on someone. Usually him. Why he tolerated it, he never really understood, but there was something oddly intriguing about her. Something interesting._

_Because she was a school year below Kojuro, he'd only ever seen her after school, and she usually visited him alone. But now, with her starting high school, he'd be able to see her every day. He worried about his sanity._

_Kanon nodded gloomily. "Honestly, you're birds of a feather." She grinned now, "You'll probably get to meet her later today. She may even be in one of your classes, she's so smart!"_

"_Your sister-" Kojuro began slowly, but he was interrupted by the school bell._

"_Ah, crap!" Kanon panicked. She started running down the hall and yelled, "I'll introduce you two later, I think I'm gonna be late to class! See you later, Kagetsuna!"_

"_It's Kojuro!" he yelled back._

"_Nyah, nyah!" Kanon teased. Kojuro sighed._

* * *

_It was late in the afternoon by the time Kojuro finished tending the last bed of leeks. He was just washing his face outside at one of the wash stations when he heard the sound of a violin float by. He blinked._

_It was late now, way after school hours, so everyone should have gone home by now. The sun was setting and dusk was fast approaching. Kojuro followed the sound and looked inside the window of a music room._

_He was surprised to see a girl standing in the center. Her back was turned to him and he could see long black hair partly tied by a red ribbon with two bells tied on the ends. He continued to watch silently as she started playing. She swayed slightly as she played the violin passionately and it was obvious that she was well experienced. The sound flowed smoothly from her instrument, like a leaf floating across water, and he was instantly entranced._

_It was as if the music itself was a trap and he had fallen right into it by listening. He rested his hand on his cheek as the music flowed over him and he closed his eyes._

_Suddenly though, it stopped and he blinked in surprise. The girl had stopped and stood stoically with the violin at her side. She sighed and muttered, "Still not good enough…"_

"_Excuse me," Kojuro suddenly said. The girl jumped in surprise as she whipped around to face the voice. The tiny silver bells at the end of her hair ribbon jingled. "But I thought your music was-" Kojuro stopped mid-sentence when he saw the girl's face. "Kanon-san?" he asked uncertainly._

_The girl indeed had the same face as the one he knew, but somehow, just by the way she was standing, he knew they were different. She blinked in surprise but suddenly she laughed. It was as gentle as the bells in her hair and suddenly Kojuro felt more aware of himself. "No, no," the girl laughed, "That's my younger sister."_

_Now it was Kojuro's turn to blink, "Younger sister?" he repeated. He remembered Kanon mentioning that she had a sister, but he had no idea she was a twin._

_She nodded and said, "Yes, my name is Suzume. Mouri Suzume."_

"_Mouri… Suzume…" He repeated slowly. Her name sounded nice coming from him and she suddenly blushed at the thought._

_She nodded again, looking away to hide her red face. After she thought it cooled, she smiled brightly at him and asked, "Yes, and you are?"_

_He blinked, temporarily speechless. Her voice was low for a girl's, but in a way, elegant and rich. Suddenly he remembered that he was asked a question and with flushed cheeks he bowed somewhat clumsily in his haste and said quickly, "My name is Katakura Kage-" he paused. 'No…' He remembered, 'that's not my name anymore.' He got up from his bow and tried again, "My name is Katakura Kojuro. It's nice to meet you."_

_Suzume nodded and said thoughtfully, "Ahh, I see, so you are Katakura-kun… My sister has spoken a lot about you."_

"_She has?" Kojuro asked with surprise._

_Suzume nodded. She began walking towards him so she could talk to him properly but suddenly, with a short cry, she tripped and fell flat on her face._

"_Ah, Mouri-san, are you alright?" Kojuro shouted, standing closer and leaning over the edge of the window to watch her. He was fighting back the urge to laugh._

"_Nn…" Suzume rubbed her nose, "I think so…" she looked up at him with an embarrassed laugh, her cheeks reddened, "Ahm… Sorry about that, ah, I'm so embarrassed now!"_

"_Don't be," Kojuro replied, now biting his lip so he wouldn't start laughing. It was getting increasingly difficult to keep a straight face. "Th-there's really nothing to be embarrassed…" Suddenly he burst out laughing and Suzume stared at him. He held his sides, "My apologies, Mouri-san, it's just that the way you fell like that… You'd think it impossible!"_

_He continued laughing as Suzume picked herself up. She made it to the window without another accident and joined in with his laughter. She said sheepishly, "Yes, it seems to happen to me quite a bit."_

"_Really?" Kojuro asked, "You don't look the type."_

_Suzume shrugged and laughed, "Well what about you, Mr. Leek Man? I've seen you planting your vegetables and flowers in the school gardens, and you certainly don't look the type."_

_It was his turn to shrug now and he blushed slightly. "Oh, well… You know… It's just a hobby, really."_

_She nodded in agreement. They were silent and a cool wind blew. It mussed up Kojuro's hair so he smoothed it back again. "It's getting late," he commented offhandedly, his cheeks still slightly pink. Suzume nodded. "Would you… Like me to walk you home?"_

"_Eh?" Her eyes widened and Suzume blushed now too, "Ah… That… That would be fine but… I'm waiting for my sister." She smiled apologetically. She sighed slightly irritably now, "She's late again, unfortunately, but…" she turned away so he couldn't see her face redden any further, "Maybe… Next time?" she asked._

_She turned a dark brown eye slightly to look at him shyly and Kojuro nodded quickly, "Of course, Mouri-san. I'll walk you home whenever you want."_

_She turned to smile gently at him, her pink cheeks bright against pale skin. "You can call me 'Suzume'… May I… Call you 'Kojuro-kun'?"_

_He nodded again energetically, "Of course!"_

_Suzume smiled brightly, "Okay then, Kojuro-kun!" Kojuro smiled and could feel his heart beat ever so slightly faster. Suzume brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled shyly, but a strand fell back across her forehead._

"_Yo, Kagetsuna!" another voice called. Kanon approached Kojuro from the right and grinned. "Ah-ha, so you found her. You found my adorable little Sparrow."_

_Suzume blushed slightly, "Kanon, I told you not to use that nickname with me…"_

"_Why not?" Kanon teased, "That's what your name means, anyways."_

"_Sparrow…" Kojuro murmured thoughtfully._

_Suzume's cheeks reddened even more, "Yes…" She brushed imaginary strokes in the air. "Su-zu-me." He looked at her and she looked away._

"_It's pretty," he commented._

"_Isn't it?" Kanon asked cheerfully._

"_Kanon, are you ready to go home?" Suzume asked suddenly._

_Kanon sighed, "Yeah, yeah… I can't believe that teacher held me up on the first day of school, what a jerk!"_

_Suzume sighed as well, "You can really only blame yourself for getting to class late."_

_Kanon stuck her tongue out at her sister, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyways, let's go home."_

_Suzume nodded and retreated to get her violin case. She got back to them and handed Kanon her instrument. "I'll meet you at the front entrance."_

"_Why?" Kanon asked, "You can just hop out the window here."_

"_B-but," Suzume stuttered, "That's against the rules, I'm sure! And the door is perfectly acceptable! And…!" she trailed off into a sort of whisper as she pressed her finger tips together, "I might... Fall…" She blushed furiously and Kojuro refrained from laughing._

_Kanon had no such restraint and giggled at her sister, "Don't worry, you klutz. If you fall, Kagetsuna will catch you~" she winked at Kojuro who sighed now._

"_Kage…Tsuna?" Suzume asked curiously._

_Kojuro sighed again, "That's my real name… 'Kojuro' was the title the Date family gave me after my father died…"_

"_You serve the Date clan?"_

_He nodded, "Yes. I only recently became head, though they want me to finish my education before I begin to serve full term."_

"_Mm…" They looked at each other shyly._

"_So?" Kanon interrupted. They looked at her in confusion. "Are you climbing out, or not?"_

_Suzume blinked, "W-well…"_

_She looked at Kojuro who smiled and reached a hand to her. "Don't worry, I'll help," he said softly. Suzume smiled. Kanon watched._

* * *

"And it only got cuter after that," Kanon said with a sort of fond sigh.

"So then, why _did_ you give him up?" Rin asked, heaving a particularly heavy box onto a shelf with a grunt. She rubbed her hands together to wipe the pain in them away and watched Kanon carefully as she waited for a response. "You only explained how they met."

Kanon shrugged, "You get what I give."

"Jackal…" Rin said softly, "Do you… Really like Katakura-san?"

The room was silent and suddenly Kanon looked uncomfortable. She worked on her puppet silently. Kanon took her time before finally replying, "No."

"Eh?" Rin looked at her.

Kanon met her gaze and said softly, "I love him."

"Then why did you give him up?"

"Because…" she closed her golden eyes lightly, "I love Kojuro. But unfortunately, I love my sister more… And they love each other, so even when I was arranged to marry him first, I gave him up to her."

She looked out of the window that slanted in the ceiling above her. Grey clouds had rolled in and the previously clear, blue sky looked dark and suddenly depressing. "It's going to rain…" Kanon murmured, suddenly lost in her thoughts.

Rin tried getting back to work again, but suddenly she found that the box was empty. She turned to ask Kanon, "Hey, Jackal, are there any other-"

"I love my sister more than anything in the world," she interrupted, still somehow lost in her own world. "I love her because, as awkward as she may be, she needs someone to protect her because she's so busy protecting everyone else, she forgets herself, and that's dangerous."

She sighed, "What can I say? She's a fragile, glass sparrow that's trying to save the world but is just waiting to break into a million tiny shards."

Rin watched as Kanon threaded a hair through her bangs, "But that's why _I'm _here… To be the one protect _her_. I may be manipulative, but I'm not cruel. I would never want to take away my sister's happiness. We've been through too much together for me to do that to her. Besides," Kanon opened her eyes and shot her usual catty grin, suddenly remembering who she was talking to, "I'm not really one for monogamy anyways."

Rin watched her as she looked outside the window near the door and said thoughtfully, just as a couple passed by and repeated simply, "Yeah… Not one for monogamy."

"Jackal," Rin said.

Kanon stood up abruptly then and said, "Well, I think that's enough heart-to-heart chat for today." She walked confidently to the door and grabbed her white trench coat.

"Wait, Jackal, where are you-" Rin called.

Kanon grinned as she whipped her coat on and said sweetly, "Out. See you later." She opened the door and just as she was half way out she called back, "And Rin-chan?"

"Yes?"

Kanon smiled, "If you repeat to anyone about anything I just said, I'll tell Botenmaru that you're pregnant with Sanada Yukimura's child."

"_Jackal!" _Rin yelled in surprise, her cheeks instantly heating up.

Kanon laughed as she closed the door.

* * *

A/N: Continue reading the next chapter for the author's note~! :)

- Jackal


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

_'It's raining…' Kanon thought drearily, her amber eyes following the trail of a lone raindrop.' But it doesn't seem to bother "them"'… Her eyes looked past the window as two figures danced openly under the rain, soft giggles and low chuckles bouncing towards the young woman._

_She smiled wantonly and spoke aloud, "Hm… They really do make the most awkward couple in the world but… They really come to life when it's just them…" she laughed softly, "I think they're just too shy to express their feelings in public, which is why I think they need more flavor to their relationship."_

"_Already regretting your decision, Kanon Ane-chan?" asked a familiar, somewhat shrewd voice._

_Kanon smirked at her and her younger brother's reflection in the window. "Of course not Nari-chan, why on Earth would I do something as stupid as that? Only the weak regret past mistakes, isn't that right?" She turned her head slightly to look at him from the corner of her eye and tilted her head backwards._

_Motonari only shrugged and sat beside his older sister, "That's what we've been taught, haven't we?"_

"_Mm…" he leaned into his sister as she petted his head distractedly._

"_You're too cunning for your own good, you know that?" she said._

_The young prodigy only smirked and said, "Well, I need to be if I want to become the greatest successor in the family."_

_She nodded in agreement, "Got that right. 'Cause I sure as hell won't do it, and Suzu-chan can't, and Okimoto…"she trailed off._

_They sat in companionable silence now, Kanon still patting her brother until he pulled away._

"_Though I'll admit it," Kanon said slowly, "I'm jealous that Suzu-chan won one of the most amazing men in the world." He looked at her questioningly and she smiled to herself. "Right," she suddenly laughed, "I'll admit that I'm jealous… But I'll never regret it."_

* * *

Kanon shook her head suddenly. _Damn it Jackal, just stop thinking about things like that. _Kanon sighed as she weighed the jug she had just bought in her hand thoughtfully. _I can't believe I let myself open up so much to her. That girl… _Kanon narrowed her eyes, _has a way of making people open up and confess their entire dirty history._

Kanon sighed. _She's just like Dane… _She continued walking across the beach towards the familiar set of palm trees until she came to a pair with a few hanging hammocks. In one of them lay an old man, snoring loudly and gently swinging side to side.

"Yo, Gramps, how are you!" Kanon yelled, jolting the old man awake.

"Kanon-chan!" His eyes shot open in surprise and then brightened when he saw Kanon. Shimazu Yoshihiro got out of his hammock as he laughed jovially, "Do my eyes deceive me, or are ya pregnant?"

"Of course I'm not pregnant, you old goat," Kanon laughed and Yoshihiro cackled.

"Ahh, so ya've gained weight then?"

"You need to get your eyes checked, you old fart," Kanon laughed again, not bothered at all by one of her oldest friends' teasing. She weighed the giant jug of sake in her hands and said with mock remorse, "Well, if all you're going to do is harass me, I guess I'll just have to drink this whole thing by myself, what a shame. And I had so been hoping to share."

Yoshihiro laughed loudly again, "Now, now Kanon-chan. I was only joking. Besides, a young woman such as yerself couldn't handle all that alcohol."

Kanon grinned slyly, "Wanna bet?"

He laughed, "Not on my life."

They laughed again together and Kanon plopped herself beside him.

"So how did ya enjoy the festival last night?" Yoshihiro asked and taking the first swig from the overly sized jug Kanon brought. "Had to be one of the finest in years. They all truly worked hard this year, ya know."

Kanon sighed as she pulled off her plain black shoes and slid onto her elbows behind her back. "Eh, you know… Accepting job offers, this and that," she said vaguely.

The old man nodded knowingly, "I see. Ya aren't workin' yerself too hard, are ya?"

"Have I been known to?" Kanon asked and he laughed.

"Naw, I suppose not, but Kanon-chan, ya aren't doin' anything too dangerous, right?"

"Just the usual…" Kanon murmured. She got off her elbows and dug her bare toes into the sand. She began piling a warm mound around them and Yoshihiro sighed.

"How is young Suzu-chan?"

Kanon shrugged, "The same as ever. Adorably awkward and ever the silent one. Honestly, if she wanted to hold a silent contest with a rock, she would win."

He laughed fondly, "Yes, that's how I remember her. Is she still seeing that Katakura Kojuro?"

Kanon poked her toes out of the sand, "Mm… And actually, they're engaged. They have been for about two years now."

"Oh, are they?" Yoshihiro asked in surprise. Kanon nodded and he laughed, "Well, what a joy! Let's drink to it!" He lifted the jug to his mouth and took three ginormous gulps, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Suddenly though, he noticed Kanon's soberness. "Ya aren't pleased with this engagement though, are ya?"

Kanon looked away, "Of course I am. I mean, this is Suzu-chan we're talking about, and I want her to be the happiest girl on earth. Kojuro is the only one who can make that happen, he's the only one who can give her happiness."

"Even at the expense of yer own?" Yoshihiro asked solemnly and Kanon sighed.

"Even at the expense of my own."

Yoshihiro patted her back gently, "Yer a good girl Kanon, but maybe this is one thing where ya can't be so good."

Kanon laughed, "Are you telling me to compete with my sister? Because I can tell you now, I've already lost."

Yoshihiro shrugged and took another gulp of sake, "I'm not tellin' ya to fight her, just don't forget yer own happiness completely."

Kanon shook her head and said with a small smile, "You senile old fart, you have no idea what you're talking about." She sighed and said, "I already gave up my happiness to her and she's so much better now, so that should be enough for me."

He only sighed loudly, "Don't worry, I'm sure ya'll find some else."

Kanon shrugged, "I'm not worried. It's not in my nature to because that's Suzu-chan's job."

She grinned as he laughed. "And Masamune-dono and Motonari-dono," he finally asked, "how are they?"

"Mm… Nari-chan is Nari-chan and Boten-chan is Boten-chan," Kanon said indifferently. "Though I think Boten-chan's got a little crush now." She laughed, "And on a real cute one too, if not a little too naive. Actually, she's the one I came to talk with you about."

"Oh?" Yoshihiro raised an eyebrow to her, "Is she a new apprentice of yours?"

Kanon nodded, "Yes. Kazehaya Rin, have you heard of her?"

He thought about it for a moment but then said apologetically, "Nope, afraid not." He looked around to make sure no one else was around before asking, "And are ya really certain that she's 'the one'?"

"Mm…" Kanon looked away as she trailed her fingers through the sand. Finally she answered, "I'm… Certain."

"Ya don't sound it."

"Hmph," Kanon glowered at the sand. "You're right, but, unlike Dane, I believe she'll be able to unlock the hidden strength in Botenmaru. Him and Sanada Yukimura both. She's just like Dane… But, I think she has a fire in her that he didn't have, and that's what will keep her alive."

Yoshihiro raised another eyebrow at her and took another swig of sake. He answered thoughtfully, "Ya do, do ya?" Kanon nodded and he asked, "And about how long has it been since ya worked with young Dane?"

Kanon looked up at the sky thoughtfully and rubbed her chin, "Hehh… Well… I'd say about… Two years now? Actually, he was the one who finally got Kojuro to propose to Suzu-chan."

The old man nodded, "I see." They were both silent as they thought of the previous apprentice and Yoshihiro finally commented, "I suppose ya're right… It seems like a long time ago, but I suppose that's just how it is with old age."

Kanon laughed softly, "Really? I think it's the opposite… I feel as if his loss was just yesterday."

Yoshihiro sighed, "Ya've got to let it go, Kanon-chan. What happened to him wasn't yer fault, and neither was Suzume-chan's hospitalization."

"I know, I know," Kanon said irritably, now digging the sand roughly. "I just… Wish that I had been… More careful… And don't you dare tell Suzu-chan I said that, or else she'd just lecture me."

Yoshihiro laughed, "Of course not. But now, are ya sure yer quite ready to take on another apprentice?"

"I'm sure," she finally said with conviction. "Because this time the error of surprise will be on _his _side rather than mine."

Yoshihiro slapped her heartily on the back with a bark, "That's it Kanon-chan, that's the spirit."

They sat together in another comfortable silence until Kanon sighed and stood up. She stretched and started brushing the sand off her clothes. "Well, I guess if that's all, I'll be off now. I promised the Oracle I'd go visit her while I was in town."

He nodded in agreement, "A good idea. She has been quite lonely lately, and they should really let her explore the world more."

Kanon shrugged, "At least she's not affected by this political war."

"Yet," Yoshihiro said grimly and she sighed.

"Yet," she agreed. She looked off into the water and said, "Everyone will eventually be affected by this war… No matter where you hide." She turned back to the old man and said affectionately, "You watch yourself, you old fart. Oda Nobunaga is cooking up some sort of plot, and if you aren't careful, you'll get hurt."

He nodded and said solemnly, "I know. The same to you."

She waved as she walked away and thought, _Yes… We all have to be… Very, very… Careful. _The dark clouds rolled in above her and from the north, she could hear the sound of thunder approaching. _Hard times are fast approaching._

* * *

A/N: Oh my, I've made it to 16 chapters and I'm STILL nowhere near the end.

I'm trying to move the story as fast as possible, but unfortunately, there's so much that it still doesn't make a difference! I want to get more into Kanon's story, and Kojuro and Suzume's relationship, and Kasuga, and Rin and Masamune and- and! Ahhhhh! There's just so much!

When I first started out, I didn't think there'd be enough "time" in the series, since I started their high school life during their second year of high school, but now I think there's too much!

Plus, I'm still planning a sequel that will take place during their "college" years (even though something will happen that actually prevents Rin from going -SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER!-) but with so much time left in high school, I might just have to make a second sequel to just their high school years. -sigh- They've only completed their first term... and there's... like... Three total... Fall/winter term and the last term which is partially in spring. I think... I'll have to consult my story notes again...

Anyways... Let's just say that this series may turn out very... very... long... Let's just hope it stays (relatively) good... –sob-

Anyways, thanks for reading and look out for the next chapter! WOAH!

- Jackal

(This... This is... Definitely a shoujo fanfiction. lol, I think I'm going to die.)


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

"R-really, Bontenmaru… You… You look …" Kanon burst out laughing before she could complete her sentence and Masamune glared.

He took off his crescent bearing helmet and grumbled, "Quit laughing, Hag." She ignored him and he sighed. "Honestly, my helmet is nothing compared to your idiot brother's."

"No one asked for your opinion, Peasant," Motonari countered as he adjusted his own green head garment.

"Okra!" Date yelled as he suddenly butted heads against the other boy. "Okra, Okra, large, green, Okra!"

Now Motonari was pissed as he spat out, "You _insufferable_, little-"

"Now, now," Kanon broke the two apart as her eyes glinted playfully. "Let's try not to murder each other _before _the games begin. We must all be on our good behavior until then."

They glared at each other and Rin cut in, "So, remind me again why all of you are so dressed up today?"

Rin had never seen Masamune wearing traditional samurai wear, but he was now, and she had to say, he looked pretty damn good. The Date crest was embroidered in white on the back of his custom made, blue overcoat and he came complete with traditional armor down his legs and lightning streaked plates on his fore arms. A giant gold, crescent moon crested his helmet and she could see why it was the subject of attention. He even wore the traditional foot wear; actually, they all did, even Mouri.

"It is an ongoing age-old tradition," Suzume explained, as she walked into the room adjusting the bells in her hair, "For the heads of official families to fight each other to gain territory. This is why everyone masters some sort of weaponry during their spare time… And since we take this seriously, everyone must wear traditional armor in honor of their ancestors."

Motonari smirked from where he stood and said sarcastically, "And our beloved Date Masamune always looks _so _dashing in that over-sized banana of his."

"For your information, it's a crescent moon!" Masamune shouted defensively, "And for another thing, like I said, it's nothing compared to that giant vegetable _you_ wear! Better run before your roots are cut!"

"Why, _you_-" They butted heads again.

"Masamune-sama, Motonari-kun, please, behave yourselves," Suzume implored wearily.

"Oh, _**shit**_," Masamune doubled back past the green clad leader, "I almost forgot my swords."

"Idiot," Motonari muttered. "How do you forget your own protection?"

"So…" Rin asked slowly, trying to understand the event, "Do you really… Fight each other?"

It was Kanon's turn to answer as she nodded and grinned, "Yup, and since this is the only truly acceptable time period for especially violent behavior, _everyone _participates. Normally respectable politicians become blood-shedding warriors and the men of their district become their faithful soldiers. The whole city becomes a battlefield where all is fair."

"What?!" Rin cried in surprise.

Kanon laughed, "Though no one has actually been killed in years, unfortunately, so you shouldn't have to worry your pretty head too much." She studied her pistol with an unreadable expression as she murmured, "Except, it may be different with that Old Bastard Oda participating this year…"

"Kanon," Suzume warned. Kanon shrugged.

"Anyways," she told Rin, "I'm leaving you the keys to the shop since I won't be around to watch over. Make sure you take good care of it. I'll know if you've messed around with any of my shit."

"Oh?" Suzume suddenly asked, turning to her sister, "And just who are you-"

"No one in particular," Kanon lied casually. Suzume narrowed her eyes suspiciously and seemed like she was going to say something about it, when Kojuro placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him and he shook his head, as if telling her to leave it alone. She let the matter drop.

She sighed and said, "There's a three week time limit, and then after that, everyone goes back to their daily lives until the next occurrence in spring."

"But the skirmish in spring is only about a week long, so most people choose _now_ to fight," Kanon said.

Rin bit her lip nervously. If it was true that the city officials used real weaponry on each other, then even all the armor she had seen Masamune wearing wouldn't be enough to protect him. And what would she do then, if he actually got hurt?

She wanted to tell him to be careful,_ but_, she silently cursed, _not in front of these four_. She hoped she would be able to catch him alone, if only for a second or two.

Kanon seemed to pick up on Rin's thoughts and after a silent exchange with her sister, she announced, "Well, with all that said, I believe it's time for us to take our leave." She grabbed her younger brother by the shoulders and began steering him forcefully out of the shop.

"Wha-, hey, Kanon Ane-chan, no need to push," Motonari protested. His green arm plates clinked loudly.

"Yo, Kojuro, hurry up," Kanon demanded, ignoring her brother.

"But Masamune-sama isn't-" It was Suzume's turn to silence him.

She took his hand in her small ones and tugged him gently. She assured to him softly, "He'll be with us soon."

They shared another look and he sighed. He called to Rin, "Please be sure to tell Masamune-sama that we'll just go to our usual meeting place; he'll know where to go on his own."

"But-!" Rin called, but Kanon had closed the door quickly and she was left on her own. She sighed irritably. Honestly, this city and their politics.

Heavy footsteps came charging from the backroom as Masamune bolted in with his six swords at his sides, three on each. He swore, "_**Damn it**_, they left, didn't they?!" He turned to Rin and she nodded silently, stunned by what was going on.

It all just seemed so surreal. Everyone she knew at school would be going to this event, and the most surreal part of it was that after it was over, she may not even get to see some of them again. Even a few of the teachers could end up missing. As a dreaded afterthought, she may not even get to see Masamune again.

What if that happened? She was suddenly saddened by the idea.

Masamune swore again as he raced to the front, "That damned Hag, I bet she-" He fumbled with the strings on his _zouri_ before tapping it against the floor. He stood up abruptly and just as he was adjusting the strings of his helmet called, "See you later, Rin!"

"Wait!" she shouted quickly and he paused to look back at her.

"What?"

"W-well…" Rin walked closer to him, to distract him from leaving for a second. They hadn't been alone together since their time at the festival; Rin had been successfully avoiding him until they left south and when they got back to the main store, she was allowed to go back to sleep in her own home so she only ever got to really see him when she worked.

But even as she worked at the store, she managed to never be alone with him. Now that she was though, she found that she wished she hadn't been so evasive the last few days. She twirled her hair nervously and said slowly, "Well, you're going away for three weeks, and all you have to say for 'good bye' is, 'see you later, Rin'?"

He blinked in surprise and said indifferently, "Uh, yeah. I mean, what did you expect me to say?"

Rin blushed, "N-nothing in particular, b-but…" She chewed on her lip.

_Be careful, Masamune. Don't get killed, Masamune. I love you, Masamune. _She remembered her desperate urge to confess to him on the night of the fireworks… How she had so badly wanted to say 'I love you' but chickened out at the last second. Now, so many things she wanted to say flashed through her head but again, she couldn't seem to force any of them out.

Finally, she sighed, "I don't know… It's just… Let me clarify some things first."

He sighed next as he bent down again to re-tighten his sandals, "_**Fine**_. Just, try to hurry. I should really probably be catching up with Kojuro."

Rin noticed that he was struggling slightly because his hands were shaking somewhat. For what reason, she thought she knew, so she bent down beside him and said, "Let me help you with that." She took the strings from his hands and began to re-lace them slowly. She asked first, "Isn't this like a war?"

Masamune watched her calmly as he replied, "Exactly like one."

"And you may be hurt?"

He nodded again, "And I may be hurt."

Now, Rin's hands were shaking as she whispered, "And you may be killed?"

"And I may be killed."

Rin's eyes shot up to meet his one and she could finally see the seriousness of it all. "Do you see now?" he asked calmly, "Why I act the way I do?"

She nodded slowly, "Because… You're not sure of how long you'll get to."

He nodded and looked away, "_**Exactly**_. Politics are a scary thing, Rin. But I have to do it, and there's no way around it."

"But, why?" Rin cried, suddenly tearing up. "Why do _you_ have to fight? Why do _you_ have to go through something like this?"

He smiled sadly and said with a sigh, "Because I was born a Date. And it's my duty to protect the Oshu District."

Rin shook her head and argued, "No, you don't, Masamune! You can run away! You can give up your duties to someone stronger! You can-"

"Shh," Masamune suddenly shushed her by pulling her against him. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders while his opposite hand wound itself comfortably into her hair. He nuzzled the top of her head and breathed in deeply the smell of perfume.

He murmured, "I'm not going to give up my responsibilities and I'm not going to run away." He pulled back slightly to look her straight in the eyes, "I have to protect my district. I _want _to protect my district. But most of all, I want to protect _you_. I can't afford to lose any of it. _**Understand**_?"

Rin was stunned by what he had to say and she blushed furiously. "W-well, then why can't I help? Why can't I fight by your side?"

He laughed in appreciation as he held her tightly, "To be completely honest, that isn't my decision to make. You're Kanon-sama's apprentice, not mine, and she decided to keep you here for her own reasons. But even if you _were_ under my command, I still wouldn't let you."

Rin tried pushing away but she only really managed to stretch backwards. She gripped the folds of his overcoat and asked angrily, "And why not?"

"Because I don't want you to be hurt," he explained as if he were talking to a child and Rin glared.

She said determinedly, "Well, then I'll convince Kanon-sama to teach me how to help, and one day, I'll help you whether you want me to or not." Date laughed loudly and Rin continued glaring, "What? Why are you laughing?"

"Because I thought you didn't love me, and yet here you are, pretty much pledging your life to me."

"I don't love you!" Rin shouted fiercely but Date only grinned.

"Hey Rin, did you know that in most cases with you, actions speak louder than words?"

Rin was confused by his apparent change of topic and she raised an eyebrow questioningly. "N-no, why do you-"

He pressed his lips against hers, and she was silenced. Her eyes widened and suddenly her mind had gone blank. What was going on?

_Wait_, she panicked, _seriously_. What was going on? Everything was moving too fast. Was she really sitting on the floor in Date Masamune's arms? Was she really being _kissed_ by Date Masamune? Was she-? Is this a dream?

Yes, that had to be it. She closed her eyes as she tried accepting that idea. This had to be a dream. She was having a fantasy. Yes, that _must_ be it. She-

Her head began to spin.

Date pulled away when the need to breathe became obvious for both of them and he smiled with satisfaction as he answered her previous half-asked question, "Because it seems to be applicable here."

She was stunned for a moment as she stared blankly at Date. And she realized something. _This is not a dream. _As the realization clicked in her head, her face suddenly exploded with color. She yelled, "Y-you jerk! Th-that was my first—"

Date's one eye widened in surprise and he began laughing loudly again as he repeated, "Your first kiss?"

"Yes," she cried, "And I was saving that for-" Again, Rin was at a loss for words since she wasn't really sure whom she had been saving it for, but was covering her true feelings again.

Date teased, "Saving it for someone I know? How many eyes does he have?"

Rin only stared at the ground moodily, "N-no… He..."

He smiled and started pulling away from her, "Well, with that said and done, I really should get going now."

He let go of her to stand up but was surprised when Rin held him back. She wouldn't look at him, but her vise-like grip on his sleeve was inescapable. He held back in a sort of half-crouch and with a short laugh said, "Rin, you know, you're gonna have to let go sooner or later. This is kind of an awkward position to stand in."

Rin blinked in surprise, as if waking up from a deep sleep and only just realized how tightly she was gripping him. "O-oh, sorry, I didn't…" she trailed off in embarrassment and let go. He offered a hand to her and she took it. She stood up to face him but immediately turned her gaze to the floor.

"So, I guess that's all then," he smiled and readjusted his helmet. After it seemed satisfactory, he said, "I'll see you again in three weeks."

Three weeks. That would be the longest she'd have to go without seeing him. Three weeks... It suddenly seemed like forever.

Rin didn't answer him and because she looked so downcast, he felt another sudden burst of confidence and he kissed her swiftly on the cheek. By then, her face was at maximum redness but she turned a dark, black eye to look at him shyly and she mumbled something.

"What was that?" he asked.

"You missed…" she mumbled again.

He stared at her in confusion, "_**What**_? But I-"

Suddenly, it was her turn to silence him. She reached inside his helmet to cup his cheeks and then met his lips again with feather lightness before pulling back and repeating his last promise in a rush, "I'll see you again in three weeks."

He seemed to be stunned by her actions, staring at her incomprehensibly, but he recovered quickly and laughed. He said happily, "It's a promise, Rin." He patted her head childishly before finally pulling away completely and leaving the shop. He closed the door and said aloud for a final time, "It's a promise."

* * *

A/N: I… I finally did it…. I… -choke, sob- I finally got them to enter the beginning of the Couple stages. It only took me seventeen goddamn chapters. God, what a sap I am.

-siiigh- …. –re-reads the chapter-

OHMHGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD. WHAT HAVE I DOOOOOOOOONE?! WHAT IS THIS THAT I AM TYPING?! WHY IS THIS HAPPENING. I SHOULD BE ASHAMED.

But…. Regardless, I will continue on until the end to release my raging, teenage, female hormones and share them with the world!

Thanks for reading, and keep an eye out for the next love-soaked chapter.

Jackal

(This is slightly different from my original fan series, but that's okay, I shouldn't be aiming too closely to it anyways. This _is_ an alternate universe, after all. Note how unrealistic the story has become to try and accommodate the _original_ BASARA series. Why do I even bother trying?)


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

_I kissed Masamune. I kissed Masamune. I, Kazehaya Rin, kissed Date Masamune. _The same thought kept racing through Rin's mind like an annoying never-ending tape and she scratched at her scalp with horror.

"What have I done?" she asked aloud to herself. "What have I done, _what _have I_ done?!_" she rolled back and forth across her bed, spazzing out as her pets watched with avid fascination. "I-I kissed Date Masamune!" she wailed. "What have I-"

_But he kissed me first._

The realization settled in her brain and she flopped on her stomach, her face stuffed into her pillow. She reached up to hug it against her face; trying to smother the heat in her cheeks and her embarrassment. After a moment, she turned her head to the side when the need to breathe became urgent and after puffing to catch her breath she murmured, "And he was so casual about it… Like it was nothing…"

She sighed as she closed her eyes and continued, "And now he's gone off for three weeks… Stupid…" Images of him began flashing through her head and she groaned.

She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. "You jerk," she said aloud to it, "Why do you always have to tease me before leaving me hanging? Are you serious about me or do you just see me as another girl to add to your list?

"Answer me, you jerk…" She sighed and rolled back onto her stomach, "You had better just keep your promise… Or …"

She sighed one more time before murmuring sleepily, "I'll begin to hate you for real."

* * *

Exactly three weeks passed listlessly for Rin and she wished every day for summer vacation to be over. As much as she liked being able to relax without school work on her back, she found it somewhat boring without the one-eyed pervert keeping her company.

Not only that, but the antique store seemed so still without its owner hanging around. It seemed almost… Normal, even. Without Kanon, it was as if the place was hibernating and without Masamune, it might as well be dead.

Customers came and made their requests and Rin kept track of them dutifully, but exactly _nothing _of importance seemed to happen.

That's why on the day school began again, Rin found herself rushing to get to class. Today was it. Today was the day she'd get to see Masamune again, and things could go back to normal. She would be able to sort out her feelings for him, and then, yes; then, maybe, she would be able to settle things _once and for all_.

Soon though, to her discontent, she found that her one-eyed classmate was absent that day. And the next. And the next. Before she knew it, the whole week had gone by and she barely saw a hair of Date Masamune.

How odd; now she wondered what he was up to.

She knew he liked to skip class every so often to wander around freely, but she also knew he wouldn't have played hooky for a whole week; especially not on the first week back from summer vacation. She wasn't worried about him having lost the 'summer territory war' because she could have sworn she saw him somewhere earlier that day, but then, why wasn't he in class anymore? Was he avoiding her?

She panicked slightly. Was he really just a player who liked flirting with girls, but then dropped them as soon as they fell for him? Was it because they had kissed that last day they were together? What on earth could he be thinking? She pondered it as she got out her lunch for that day.

"Rin-chaaaaan!" a voice yelled excitedly.

Rin jumped in surprise to hear the familiar female voice but she smiled when a body crashed into her and grabbed her into a crushing hug. "Happy birthday, Rin-chaaan," Kasuga sang cheerfully.

Rin laughed lightly as she detached herself from the older girl and asked, "Eh? What was that?"

"Happy birthday," Kasuga repeated. She asked, "Wasn't it seventeen years ago that you arrived in this world?"

Rin blinked as she thought about it and then stated with a laugh, "No, that was a week ago. And actually, I turned sixteen."

"What?!" Kasuga cried. She pulled out a small calendar and flipped through the pages as Rin watched with interest. She jabbed at a date and asked anxiously, "But isn't your birthday-"

"August 28th. I skipped a grade in middle school, so that's why I'm a second year even though I only just turned sixteen," Rin explained calmly as she took the calendar from Kasuga's hands. She studied it and read where Kasuga had doodled on today's date, "Rin's 17th birthday!" with little smiley faces and with a chibi that looked like her. She smiled in amusement as she asked, "And what would this be, anyways?"

"It's my 'Rin calendar'," she sniffed. She cried, "Damn it, Rin-chan! I can't believe I got your birthday date wrong! I was completely off, and you didn't tell me!"

She shook Rin vehemently but Rin shrugged it off, "It wasn't anything important."

"Yes, it is!" Kasuga insisted. "I mean, what did you even do to celebrate? _Did _you celebrate?"

Rin thought about it, "Mm… I slept in a little later than usual, and I got out of work early…"

"And that's it?" Kasuga asked incredulously, and Rin nodded. Kasuga hit her lightly on the head and reprimanded, "_See_? I could've gotten you a date with Date-kun if I had known!"

"Good thing you didn't," Rin muttered and Kasuga sniffed again.

"Hmph, well, I'll make sure to get it next time! Did you know his seventeenth birthday is September 5th? That's tomorrow!"

Rin rolled her eyes but her face heated up lightly, "W-whatever. How do you even know all this?"

Kasuga smiled slyly, "Because I know everything that goes on around here…"

Rin shuddered slightly while Kasuga laughed somewhat evilly. She began flipping backwards in the little book and she found similar doodles of chibis in various boxes, but one that really caught her eye was a box from back in May. In it, there was the default chibi of her and… A sort of grumpy looking male one with an eye patch and a strange helmet bearing a half-crescent moon. There was a speech bubble coming from her mouth that captioned, "Rin's first date with Date Masamune-kun."

Rin looked at Kasuga and asked, "And… What did you say this was?"

"My Rin Calendar," Kasuga said unabashedly. "So I can keep track of you, since you so obviously don't."

Rin sighed, "Uh-huh, I see…"

She flipped back to July to see if anything was there but all for the week she was down south Kasuga had only written, "Gone South with Date Masamune-kun and others". Rin eyed her and Kasuga smiled innocently, finally prying the book back.

She slipped it into her backpack and said sweetly, "One day, I'll be able to add "Date Kazehaya Rin" to one of these boxes and I'll get to draw you in a wedding dress."

She sighed dreamily as Rin blushed and said half-heartedly, "Yeah, right."

Yeah, right, was right.

"By the way, about the groom," Kasuga teased as Rin glared weakly at her. "I found out that he was transferred to one of the classes upstairs. They moved him to Nouhime-sensei's class."

Rin's eyebrows raised in surprise, "Oh?" she asked. So that's what happened to him. "Why?"

Kasuga looked out the window, "I'm not sure…" she said softly. "I think it's because he got in a really bad fight with someone just before school restarted…"

"Who?" Rin asked eagerly. She was somewhat worried now because ever since their summer vacation together she had thought she would have all the time in the world to be able to finally confess to him, but with this sudden change of events, she realized that chance was now slimmed, as she wasn't sure when she'd get to see him anymore.

Kasuga smirked slyly as she sensed Rin's curiosity, "Hmm…" she hummed, then she thought about it seriously, "You know, I'm really not sure. I mean, I don't think it was even a _big _fight, but obviously it raised enough attention if they placed him under Oda Nobunaga's watch, or, under a branch of his watch." She shuddered. "I certainly wouldn't want his wife as my homeroom teacher, geez… Did you know that she knows how to wield guns professionally? She uses them, too, during the summer battles."

Rin didn't really think about it as the thought sunk in. "Right…" she murmured. She looked out the window and suddenly made the resolve; _I guess I'll just talk to him later at the shop…_

* * *

But he wasn't at the shop either.

"He's not here today," Kanon told her bluntly as soon as she entered. Kanon was working on another puppet and she smoothed a finger along its cheek to brush off some dust.

"Who?" Rin asked, feigning ignorance to cover her disappointment.

Kanon rolled her eyes and shrugged, "Who do you think, you silly girl?"

Rin bit her lip and dropped all pretenses as she asked, "B-but then… Masamune… Is he…?"

Kanon sighed, "Don't worry, he's only resting." She looked off somewhat dreamily and said, "He overworked himself this year, and I think he just needed to take a break. Oda Nobunaga seemed somewhat more aggressive this year, so it was more difficult to keep him off. We're lucky Bontenmaru managed to maintain his area, or else he might have lost it this year."

Rin swallowed and asked timidly, "But he's alright, isn't he? He's not… Injured?" Kanon didn't answer and Rin began to panic slightly. She said firmly, "Jackal."

"…" Kanon continued studying her puppet intently.

"_Jackal!" _she yelled, somewhat frantically.

Finally Kanon sighed and surrendered, "He's fine, but like I said, very tired… He needs his rest right now. He pushed himself to go to school this week only because Kojuro and Suzu-chan both wanted him to stay home, but he totally collapsed this afternoon so I'm not sure if he'll be able to come here, even if he wanted to."

"So, when will I be able to see him next?" Rin tried to ask indifferently, but it only sounded desperate.

Kanon shrugged listlessly as she tried getting back to her work, "I don't know."

"But-"

"Work," Kanon commanded firmly and Rin sighed. _Damn_, she thought despairingly, _not only has he transferred classes, but he's too exhausted to even visit the only other place he haunts. When will I even be able to see him again? _

Kanon commented, "I'm not sure if he'll want anyone who isn't close to see him in the state that he's in right now, but I'm going to visit him tomorrow." Rin winced slightly when Kanon said 'anyone who isn't close', "Would you like me to bring him a message?"

Rin sighed somewhat dejectedly, "Well… I guess… Will you ask him to find me, the next time he goes to school? I… Really need to talk to him."

Kanon raised an eyebrow questioningly but said, "I suppose I could… If you promise to work for me for an extra day."

She grinned as Rin sighed, "Why a day?"

"Because it's an equivalent amount of time to how long it'll take me to give him the message. I'm not going to give it to him right away or else he'd try coming to see you."

Rin's heart raced slightly as she asked semi-excitedly, "Would he?"

So she'll work for Kanon for another extra day… It didn't matter, so long as Kanon would keep her end of the promise. And then, soon, she would get to see him again. Kanon smirked.

The older woman changed the topic, "So, since it's a Friday night and Bontenmaru's not around to distract you, you're planning on working late, right?"

Rin sighed, "Yeah, yeah… I suppose, since I have nothing better to do," she got busy and Kanon smiled conspiratorially to herself.

"Perfect," was all she said. She stated off-handedly, "And who knows? Maybe you'll be doubly rewarded if you stay later than you plan to."

Rin looked over at her oddly but she only grinned back, so Rin brushed her suspicion away. Kanon will be Kanon.

* * *

"Rin… Rin, wake up."

A hand gently shook Rin but she tried ignoring it. She mumbled something incomprehensible and tried burrowing into the crook of her arm, which she had been using as a pillow. It was late now because Kanon had given her the task of sorting out the drawers without locks on them before disappearing and, being that Rin had no idea which of the many clocks in the room were correct, Rin had lost track of time. How she fell asleep was another story.

The speaker shook her again but she tried pushing the hand off and finally, he laughed resignedly. He moved beside her now and whispered in her ear, "Rin, I'm back."

Suddenly, the sound of his voice so close to her woke her up and her eyes shot open in surprise. She jolted awake and knocked her head into the speaker's nose. He pulled back in just as much surprise as her and his face began to sting.

"Masamune?" she whipped around and asked in disbelief, wincing and rubbing the back of her head.

He nursed his nose and teased, "I think you broke my nose." She watched him blankly as he tried rubbing the soreness away and suddenly it clicked to her.

Masamune was back. Masamune _is _back. _Her _Masamune is back, and he's standing right there. Right in front of her. Wearing a plain blue t-shirt with jeans and looking as casual as any one-eyed teenaged boy on any given day.

"Masamune!" she said again, a little too loudly.

He put a finger to his lips and smiled slyly, "Shh, it's late, and they don't know I'm here."

They stared at each other silently when Rin suddenly realized, "Wait a minute, Masamune, what _are_ you doing here? Kanon-sama told me you were worn out and needed to-"

He smirked and said bluntly, "I ran away."

Rin's eyes widened as she asked quickly, "What?! You shouldn't be here then; you should be resting! Why are you-"

Suddenly, by grabbing her hand, in one swift movement he pulled her against his chest. Her cheek bumped his shoulder as he held onto her. One hand pushed the small of her back and the other wound its way in her hair like it had three weeks ago. He grumbled affectionately, "My God, you are _so __**dense **_sometimes."

Rin froze and they stood like that silently. Her ear was pressed against his chest and she could hear his heart beat steadily, unlike hers which she felt might explode at any minute. Finally, as if waking up from a dream, she realized what was going on and her cheeks erupted with color. She tried pushing herself away, "M-Masamune… Wh-what are you- _Why _are you—"

"Shh…" he shushed, nuzzling his nose against the top of her head warmly. "I 'ran away' because I wanted to see you, stupid, so let me enjoy my moment. Kanon-sama hinted that you would be around. Were you waiting for me?"

"No way!" Rin struggled. He had trapped her against the counter and she could sense that there was no way out, except through him. He pressed more tightly against her and the backs of her legs pressed against the wood. She got flustered, "No, just… Let go, damn it!"

He sighed and asked mockingly, "Why are you always so _**noisy**_? You weren't nearly this fomented when we kissed all those weeks ago." He smirked and said in a sort of satisfied tone of voice, "Actually, you seemed like you had enjoyed it quite a bit, don't you recall? I mean, you _did_ have the last kiss."

Rin blushed furiously and protested, "W-well that was just because I thought I'd never see you again, you jerk! But now that you're here, I don't have to worry!"

"You worried?" He raised an eyebrow curiously, "But I promised that I'd come back. And I did. You didn't have to act like I would die so soon."

"Well, good! Because if you had, I wouldn't have been able to- To…" Rin was at a loss for words now her eyes watered slightly. She bit her lip harshly to stop them. _To ever talk with you again. _She finished silently.

_Masamune, I really missed you._

_Say it. _Another voice ordered. _Say it! _

_I can't. _She thought feebly. She shook slightly and then could practically imagine seeing another Rin mentally kicking herself in disgust.

_Kazehaya Rin, you are by far, the biggest coward in Japan!_ She berated herself harshly and Masamune watched her silent inner battle with an odd sort of curiosity. After beating her other voice black and blue, she finally mumbled resignedly, "I just… thought it might be _your_ last time to-"

"Shh…" Date saved her from having to make any more dumb excuses. He pulled back to smirk. "_**Be quiet**_, or Kanon-sama will come investigate. Remember? I got out while they weren't paying attention but Kojuro or Suzu Onee-chan might call her. She doesn't know I'm gone yet, but who knows what she'll say if she comes down here and sees us like this…"

She'd tease them for a billion years and more. She'd use this new scene as blackmail. Hundreds of cruel little ideas Rin thought Kanon would use began flooding her mind. Rin would be somehow forced to work for the eccentric, young woman for the rest of their lives.

Rin's eyes widened. "W-well, then let go!"

He grinned, "Mm… No. First, I want to know something."

"What?" she spat. "Couldn't you learn it while we're standing like normal people?"

He smiled at her obvious anger. "So, you missed me that much?"

"I didn't miss you…" Rin grumbled unconvincingly but she adjusted her grip on his shirt and looked away guiltily so he laughed. By now, Date Masamune had learned Rin's way of showing affection. She'd say the rudest of things and try to act indifferent, but by the way she'd suddenly change, her actions would show her true feelings and in this case, it was shown by how she was gripping the front of his shirt.

In some ways, he thought it was sort of cute. The way she may say something she wanted to believe was true, but then obviously regret it and reveal it through her actions later. Other times, he couldn't help but get a little annoyed. Things wouldn't be half as difficult for her if she didn't feel the need to act so tough. Why couldn't she just act like any normal girl and confront her true emotions without having to fight them? What was so wrong with liking someone? With liking him?

She was hesitant in everything she did. Like she was afraid to trust him. Well, he could relate, in a way, but why did she always seem so ashamed of it? Overall, being with Rin was like a game for him. Could he force her to finally admit out loud that she liked him or would he be stuck having to guess for the rest of his life?

Maybe she just needed a little push in the right direction.

_Or, really, _he thought, _a giant kick is more like it. _He tightened his hold on her fondly and requited, _But if I'm going to have to be the one to kick her, I'll also be the one to catch her on the other side. _After that thought, he returned to reality to listen to Rin still rambling and going on about why she so _obviously _didn't miss him.

She babbled, "I mean, I knew you would come back in three weeks, even as stupid as you may be, you aren't weak and-"

"Rin?"

"What," she asked crossly about having to stop so abruptly.

"_**Shut up**_," he murmured, firmly placing his lips over hers. Like before, she seemed to be surprised by his actions and was unsure of what to do. Naturally, she panicked first… But then, deciding that his lips were actually quite comfortable to be pressed against, she settled down and just decided to go with him. When he broke away he teased, "You talk too much," before kissing her again.

The second time they broke off she looked away and mumbled, "You're such a jerk… You always leave me hanging."

"Me?" he asked playfully, "A jerk? No… I'm the most charming guy I know."

Rin finally laughed, "Shut up."

She finally hugged him back and pressed herself tightly against him. He ran his hand through her ponytail and murmured, "I'm sorry for making you worry… And I'm sorry for leaving you alone… It won't happen again."

She looked at him and said gloomily, "Liar. You're just going to have to go away again the next year, and the one after that, unless you decide to abandon your role as leader, right?"

He laughed awkwardly, "I guess you got me."

She glared now, "And you won't take me with you, right?"

He smiled again and confirmed guiltily, "Right. But I'll always come back, to you. _**You see**_?"

Rin huffed, "Then I'll just have to get stronger so I can join in, too."

"Don't," he warned but she stuck her tongue out.

"You can't stop me," was all she said determinedly.

He studied her to the point of making her squirm under his gaze, but suddenly he laughed and asked, "Why do I like you so much? You're so _**two-faced**_."

Rin pouted slightly as she turned to look away, mumbling, "I am not."

Masamune laughed as grabbed her chin to force her to look at him. He said firmly, "You definitely _are, _Kazehaya Rin. You can't even look me in the eye to deny it. You say you'll never miss me, and then you'll cling onto me like there's no tomorrow. You tell me you hate me, and yet you respond to my kisses as energetically as I do. And you say you won't sleep with me," he moved to breathe in her ear, "But you're pressing your hips tightly against mine."

Rin jolted with surprise at his last claim and she noticed that he was right. Because he had moved so close to her, she had pressed herself against the back of the counter but when her legs seemed to have had enough of being cut into by the wood, she had relaxed more into her other barrier, A.K.A, Masamune.

Suddenly she started struggling more in earnest, "You are such an ass!" she practically yelled, but he only laughed.

He continued to tease, "You know, my birthday is in," he glanced at one of the working clocks and said in surprise, "30 more seconds." He grinned; "I hope you're thinking of something good to give me." The hand in her hair had crept along her back to join with the other at her waist and she grabbed it tightly before it could move any lower.

He grinned unabashedly as she glared, "No way."

He shrugged and reasoned, "That's only your way of saying, 'I'll give you everything I've got'." He dipped his head to drop a light kiss on her nose and she sighed.

"You're… Such a flirt," she grumbled.

"You _**love **_it," was all he stated before holding her tightly.

Finally, Rin seemed to resign herself to his affection and she burrowed her head into his shirt. _He smells so nice_, she thought dreamily before smothering the thought quickly. _Don't be weird._ She reprimanded herself.

But… He was right. There were 30 more seconds until midnight. 30 more seconds until September fifth. And she hadn't even really thought of getting him anything because for one thing, she hadn't even known when it was and for another, because she hadn't seen him all week.

He sighed, "Well, oh well… I actually have a feeling that I know what you're going to say anyways. Probably something downcast in which I'll have to quiet you again, though, when I think about it, that wouldn't really be all too bad."

She bit her lip. She was thinking when something suddenly popped into her head. She wasn't thinking about _it_ at all at the time, and yet the words just slipped right out.

September Fifth. The clocks began to chime and Rin suddenly uttered,

"I love you."

She slapped a hand over her mouth and gasped as her eyes suddenly widened and he blinked in surprise.

Well.

He hadn't expected her to say that.

They stared at each other.

Oh.

Shit.

* * *

A/N: So. …. Yeah.

I think I warned you that it would get love-soaked.

By the way, the reason why I worked so quickly on this chapter was because I had wanted to do a "birthday" chapter, and it just so happened that my own birthday was coming up, so, in a self-celebration of that, I completed my work.

I finished it a few days ago but decided to wait to post it on my birthday. Which is today (May 22).

Happy birthday, me.

Originally, as you know, Date Masamune is in his 20's-mid-20's (I usually say at about 24, and Rin is 23), however, since they're in high school in this story I had to scale their ages slightly. Unfortunately, with their age set up though, Rin would really be a "sophomore" (in American schooling) which is equivalent to a "first year" (in Japanese schooling). But, as the story goes, she's in the same year as Date, which would be junior year/second year (11 grade). (Japanese high school are only grades 10-12, rather than Americans who include grade 9.)

So Rin's birthday is before Date's (the real Date Masamune's birthday is _seriously _September 5 (1567), forget the year), but she's younger than him. Well, fine. So, complications aside, to accommodate this fact, she just happens to have had to skip a grade in middle school so she could still be younger than him, but still be in the same year too.

I have a friend who's in the same boat in real life, so I figured it was all good. (She just turned fifteen but she's in my school year).

- Jackal

(By the way, I only just turned sixteen now but am still a sophomore, so I'm with the younger half of the students. :P)

((This also marks the one-year I've known BASARA for, and it has been my main anime infatuation ever since. I hope it lasts for another year. I. Love. BASARA.))


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

"Kazehaya Rin, how _dare _you!" a voice suddenly shouted at her from across the hall but Rin didn't even flinch.

She sighed and asked wearily as her friend caught up to her, "What is it now, Kasuga-chan?"

"You have _got_ to be the most boring-est girlfriend in the world!" Kasuga scolded.

"Kasuga-chan, that's not even a word," Rin replied calmly. She continued walking down the hallway coolly but the other girl followed her and was glaring at the back of her head so intently Rin was forced to stop and face her. "_What_?" she asked irritably. She winced slightly at Kasuga's harsh expression.

Kasuga rolled her eyes, "Well, it is now, and it describes _you_ perfectly."

Rin leaned against the wall and asked, "And what, pray tell, have I done to deserve your wrath?"

"You've been _ignoring _your boyfriend!" the other girl suddenly shouted impatiently. She waved a hand energetically and continued, "And not only that, but you have been completely _avoiding _him!"

"I already told you," Rin said, uncrossing her arms in surprise as her cheeks heated up. She realized immediately that her friend meant Masamune so she explained, "He's _not_ my boyfriend!"

"What?!" Kasuga screeched again, "How dare you say that, when he so obviously _is_!"

By now, their argument had risen in volume and people were starting to stop and watch them. Rin looked around embarrassedly and coughed into her hand as she tried calming down. She said in a lower voice, "Kasuga-chan, I already told you… He's not my boyfriend."

"But you confessed to him, like, a week ago!" Kasuga argued.

Rin looked away, "Yeah… I did."

"And?"

Rin looked out the window and studied the other students milling about. She didn't reply and Kasuga nudged her. "Rin-chan, what happened?"

Rin sighed, "Mm… Well, I was rejected, I guess."

"What do you mean, 'you guess'?!" Kasuga screeched now. "Were you or weren't you?!"

Rin put a finger in her ear and teased, "Keep it down Kasuga-chan, or I'll go deaf in this ear."

"You'll be more than just deaf after I'm through with you," Kasuga threatened. "If you don't answer the damn question!"

Rin blinked in surprise, backing away slightly and holding her hands up in surrender, "Okay, okay, geez, Kasuga-chan. No need to get scary…" she relaxed again and said off-handedly, "So I confessed to him and he took it calmly. That's all."

"But didn't he ask you to-"

"No."

"But why not?" Kasuga shouted again.

"He said he wasn't one for serious relationships…"

"Then all that flirting was just bullshit?!" Kasuga continued to yell.

Rin sighed as she faced her friend again, "No… He just… Isn't interested in a serious relationship."

Kasuga stared at her blankly and then promptly started walking off. Rin scrambled to follow her and called desperately, "Wait, Kasuga-chan, where are you going?"

"I'm going to kill him." she replied simply. She walked determinedly in the direction she knew his class was and Rin grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back harshly.

"Wait, _what_?"

Kasuga repeated as matter-of-factly, "I said, 'I'm going to kill him.' Or at least beat him senseless."

"_Why_?" Rin asked in horror.

"Because he's a giant _asshole_!" Kasuga shouted angrily.

Rin shook her head in disbelief, "How is he an asshole?"

"He totally just toyed with your feelings, and then let you go as soon as you responded! How is that not a totally asshole thing to do?" Kasuga grabbed Rin by the shoulders and asked, "And more to the point, why are _you _so calm about all this? You should be crying by now, or be angry, or be at least slightly upset!"

Rin sighed and looked at her feet, "Well… I am upset, but… I just…" She hugged her elbows tightly before looking Kasuga in the eye and saying, "I think it's better off this way."

"Why?"

She shrugged limply. Actually, she had been more than just upset when he rejected her. She had been stunned to the point that they had just stood with each other awkwardly until Kanon had magically flounced in, as if sensing some sort of discomfort, and sending Rin home.

What she hadn't seemed to understand though, was that the two were then on silent terms and she continually tried setting them up alone together as Rin worked. Luckily though, Suzume seemed to keep turning up every so often to clean some shelves or organize something or other.

Rin had been so sure that he would take her feelings into consideration then, even be ecstatic that she had finally gone out and admitted she like him, but instead, he had done the total opposite. He clammed up and became stoic so suddenly… He drew away from her like a magnet repelling its same side.

He was quiet… And finally he apologized. He explained that although he did like her… He hadn't been sure if he truly returned her feelings of love.

Well… What the hell was that supposed to mean? He liked her a lot, she knew that; he made jokes about sleeping together; she knew that too. But, he didn't actually love her? That didn't make any sense.

Without a true answer, Rin could only conclude that he was rejecting her. To put it in better terms, she could only conclude that the relationship she had wanted was non-existent.

Rin wasn't sure how to explain that to Kasuga so instead she said, "Well, because…I mean, think about it. What would happen if I were to date someone as well-known as Date Masamune?"

Kasuga shrugged, "You'd be the happiest girl on Earth."

Rin laughed sadly, "Right. But what else?"

Kasuga really thought about it now and then realized, "Oh. Well… You'd probably get a lot of attention, right?"

Rin nodded, "Right. And I'm sure none of it too friendly."

Kasuga shook her head skeptically, "But that's not the real reason you don't want to actually date him, correct?"

Rin shrugged and tried looking indifferent, "No, of course it is. I mean, as much as I admit now that I like him, it isn't enough to bare the other girls' wrath, you know?"

She pried herself away from Kasuga's grip and smiled. "I hate to break it to you Kasuga, but despite what you think, I'm a real narcissist. I'm self-conscious about my image too, and if that were to be ruined, I'd never be able to live with myself."

"What do you mean?" Kasuga asked.

Rin smiled shrewdly, "I mean, I could never bring myself to truly love Date Masamune because he'd only ruin my image. Besides that, he's more well-known than I, so he'd constantly out shine me. And I can't have that, now can I?"

Kasuga studied her friend carefully as she thought. Finally she stated with a sigh, "Kazehaya Rin, you are the _worst _liar in the world. I can see right through you."

Rin blinked in surprise as she wavered slightly, "Wh-what do you mean? I'm completely serious here."

Suddenly Kasuga pinched both her cheeks and stretched them, reprimanding, "Rin, you suck at lying, so quit trying to!"

"Ow, ow! Ka-thuga-chtan, that hurt-th!" Rin cried and pulled herself out of her friends grip, rubbing her sore cheeks.

Kasuga glared, "Good. I hope that woke some sense into you."

After Rin got a rid of the pain she asked with a defeated sigh, "So I was really that bad?"

Kasuga rolled her eyes, "Obviously."

Rin groaned, "And here I thought I was doing well."

"Rin-chan, you couldn't lie, even if it saved your life," Kasuga laughed now and Rin smiled wearily.

"I suppose you're right." She started wandering in a random direction but Kasuga continued to follow her.

"So, then what will you do now? You've confessed to him, but he's clearly being an arrogant asshole at the moment so until this phase ends, how will you be able to face him?"

Rin shrugged, "That doesn't really seem to be a problem right now. He's avoiding me and I'm avoiding him, so it all works out."

Kasuga sighed, "Well, that won't work out forever, you know."

"It will for now," Rin stated steadily. Suddenly the bell rang and the two paused. "Class is about to start, so I'll see you-"

"Rin-chan," Kasuga interrupted.

"What?"

Kasuga thought carefully about what she said and suddenly grabbed Rin into a hug. She said determinedly, "Whenever you need me to beat him up, you just tell me and I will, okay?"

Rin laughed as she tried getting away, "That won't be necessary Kasuga-chan. He's made his decision, and I won't force him to make any regrets."

Kasuga only hugged her harder and said, "No, but I would."

Rin smiled, "Thanks, Kasuga-chan…"

She let go with a smile and waved as she started walking to class. Rin waved back with a sigh and repeated to herself, "But he'd never change his mind."

* * *

"So, what seems to be the problem, my one-eyed problem child?" Kanon swung around on her swivel chair and smirked as Masamune's jaw dropped.

He pointed an accusatory finger at her as he leapt backwards and shouted, "What the hell are _you _doing here?!"

Kanon laughed uncharacteristically as she adjusted her fake red glasses, "I don't know what you are talking about, young sir, but I happen to be the new school nurse here. " She crossed her arms mockingly and continued, "So tell me, oh problem child, what is it that ails you?"

Masamune shook his head with disbelief, "No way. No way, _**no way**_. You can't work here, you never even went to college!"

Kanon smirked, "Why would I have to, to apply band-aids on brats? You don't need to go to college for that."

Masamune put his palm to his face and groaned, "Oh, for the love of-"

"Look, I'm here on business," Kanon admitted seriously. "I came because I wanted to keep an eye on things."

He looked at her with an eyebrow raised, "To keep an eye on what?"

She sighed as she swung around in her seat. "Oh, you know…" She studied his face carefully and then at his bloody lip. "So," she said conversationally and trying to change the topic, "You got in another fight, huh?"

He sighed as he sat down in the chair in front of her and grumbled, "They started it. It was purely out of _**self-defense **_this time."

Kanon shook her head contemptuously and dug into one of the plastic jars on her desk, "You know, if I were like Suzu-chan, you'd be in for the longest lecture in history. But, since I'm not," she tossed him a bandage, "I'll keep it short and sweet."

Masamune didn't unwrap the plastic covering as he asked, "And since when were you into giving lectures in the first place?"

She only shrugged and said, "Stay out of trouble. It wouldn't be good for you and Rin if Oda Nobunaga decides to step in on things."

He raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean 'for me and Rin'?"

Kanon shrugged and began looking through her drawers for something. She said distractedly, "Well, for you two as a couple. She is your girlfriend after all, right?"

He rolled his eye, "No, she's not. Rin isn't my girlfriend."

Kanon froze and asked, "What was that?"

He repeated, "Rin's not my girlfriend."

Suddenly Kanon jumped on him and asked, "And why the hell not?"

That was news to her, because she could have sworn they were close ever since Rin had confessed. She had even made sure the two worked together and had enough time alone. If only Suzume hadn't been interfering. Unless… Did _she _notice things had been going wrong? Had Kanon really read things wrong this time?

He shrugged nonchalantly, "I didn't ask her to be."

Kanon asked, "Why?"

He leaned back in his chair and explained, "She seemed too unsure of herself."

"What do you mean?"

He rocked his chair now on its back feet, "She said she 'loved me' but by the way she looked, I didn't think she was ready."

Kanon stared at him but now he was avoiding her gaze. Finally she stated with a sigh, "You're an asshole."

He blinked in surprise and sat back on his chair normally. "How so? I just don't want to be lied to. And anyways, it's not like she's ever been truly interested in me anyways. She was being more truthful when she said she hated me."

"No, but you've been in her. Interested, that is," Kanon clarified. She went back on the search in her drawers and said, "You've been messing with her since you first met her, and now you're leaving her hanging."

"Well, what else was I supposed to do?" he asked angrily. "Just fall for it and wait for her to change her mind or something?"

Kanon rolled her eyes, "You idiot, you're dealing with this like how you dealt with your mother."

He repeated, "Well, how else was I supposed to deal with it? Every time _she _said she loved me turned out to be lies!" He huffed and crossed his arms agitatedly, "Rin is never sure about anything when it comes to her feelings. I don't want a relationship when the other party isn't completely _**guaranteed**_. Besides, I don't… Love."

"So, what you're saying is that you 'like' Rin, but you don't love her?" Kanon questioned.

He nodded, "**_Exactly_**."

It was such a strange word, love.

His mother often used it for him when he had both his eyes, but they all turned out to be lies. Every one, every time. Sure, unlike her, Rin obviously accepted him for being the one-eyed freak he was, but even she seemed unsure of her true feelings. What if, deep inside, she despised him like his mother had? Could he bear that?

A better question was: did he love Rin? He knew he liked her. But it's been a while since he ever admitted loving anyone, whether it were a family member or anyone else. He didn't even use the phrase "I love you" to his own mother, before he had lost his right eye.

Kanon sighed. She had finally found the box of Pocky she had been looking for and she crunched on one thoughtfully. They sat quietly together until she finished about half the pack. Finally she said with disgust, "You're such a hypocrite."

"How am I a hypocrite?" he questioned.

Kanon looked him square in the eye and asked, "You got into another fight with Sanada Yukimura because he wanted to get closer to Rin, right?"

Date winced slightly, "No, he was just asking for a fight. Like I said, he started it."

Kanon shook her head and asked sardonically, "Well, despite the cause, you were fighting him again because you can't stand the idea that Rin is more comfortable around him than with you."

"How does that make me a-"

"You can't stand losing," Kanon cut him off, "Even if that involves people who are unsure of where they stand in their feelings for you. You were fighting for her, weren't you?"

"Well, I'm a leader aren't I? I can't afford to lose. But that had nothing to do with Rin."

"So exactly how much longer are you going to pull off your 'stupid' act?" Kanon challenged.

"What 'stupid act'?"

"The 'I-need-a-tutor' act." Kanon accused, "You've been faking your grades on purpose so Rin could tutor you and so you could keep her by your side." Kanon smiled triumphantly as Masamune winced guiltily, "Isn't that right?"

She snapped off part of her Pocky as he asked, "How long have you known…?"

"Since always," she shrugged indifferently. She laughed and ruffled his hair, "Look, Bontenmaru, you're a real dumbass when it comes to school, but you aren't completely stupid. You've never been ranked less than the top 15 students in school in your life, so the only reason you could possibly ever need help in your lessons would be if a certain Kazehaya Rin were doing it for extra money."

He looked down at the floor and mumbled, "Well, school is difficult…"

Kanon rolled her eyes and laughed again. She said gently, "But not for someone like you. Besides, you show Rin botched copies of tests but you give Suzu-chan tests with 90's and 100's. You aren't stupid, but you'll pretend to be when it involves something you want."

They sat quietly together again until Masamune said, "Well, it doesn't really seem to matter anymore anyways… We aren't on speaking terms at the moment, so I guess I'll drop the _**act**_ soon and let her go."

"Idiooooot," Kanon scolded and poking his forehead. He blinked in surprise, "Sure, I agree that you should drop your stupid act, but I think you should re-think your other plans of action."

"What do you mean?"

Kanon only smiled furtively, "Keep going after her. If she's unsure of how completely in love she is with you, then make her see it. Isn't that what you'd been trying before?"

"… Not really."

Kanon rolled her eyes, "Well, whatever. Whether you were only messing with her for fun or not, it was working, so keep doing that and one day she'll be able to confess to you with confidence."

He sighed, "Sure. I get it." He stood up and walked towards the door saying, "Anyways, I have to get to class now. _**See you-**_" He was about to leave when he opened the door to reveal Rin supporting Yukimura right outside of it.

He froze as Rin's eyes widened. "Um…"

They stood staring at each other until Kanon broke the tension cheerfully, saying in a sugary voice, "Ah, Rin-chan, just the girl I wanted to see."

"Ah…" Rin's eyes turned to her gratefully and said, "O-oh? Right, well, I needed to talk to you as well, Kanon-sama. I just didn't know it would be so soon."

Somehow she seemed less surprised than Masamune when she saw who the new nurse was. By now, she had grown used to Kanon's odd behavior and mysterious appearances.

"So, come in," Kanon said cheerfully. "Masamune-kun," she turned to him, making sure she used his preferred name in the presence of his rival, "Why don't you help Rin-chan with Sanada-kun."

"Tch," he glared at her but she only sent an innocent look back.

He supported Yukimura's other side as the other boy muttered a quick, "Thank you."

As soon as he was settled on one of the beds Kanon asked, "So, what happened?"

Rin laughed embarrassedly, "Mm, well I was in the hall and I bumped into Yukimura-kun. Then I noticed his face was a little bruised so…"

"Hm, and may I ask you, Yukimura-kun, how your face got bruised?" Kanon asked with a knowing smirk.

He answered truthfully, "Just a little skirmish."

"Oh, with whom?"

Masamune shot her another glare as Yukimura answered, "Mm… Masamune-dono."

"Ah, I see." Kanon said again, cheerfully. She got out a bag and piled ice into it from the small freezer. She tossed it to him and said, "Keep that on there for a while and the swelling should go down relatively quickly."

"Thank you."

"Anyways," she turned to Rin and smiled, "You should probably go back to class now. Masamune-kun, since you're already late, why don't you walk her back?"

"What?" he asked incredulously.

"I-I'll be fine on my own!" Rin answered as her face turned red and waved her hands energetically. She turned to him and mumbled, "It's fine, don't worry… I can get back to class on my own."

"No," Kanon interfered. She smiled her trademark feline smile and turned her amber eyes to Masamune, "I insist."

He grit his teeth slightly, "Interfering, old-"

"What was that?" Kanon asked before he could regret his words.

"_**Nothing**_," Masamune sighed and turned to Rin. He nodded his head, "Let's just go. I can't be any more late to class than I already am."

Rin bowed timidly, "S-sorry…"

"Here," Kanon handed them each a paper and explained, "They're late passes." They both nodded as they took them and Kanon waved a hand slightly, "And I'll see you both later today as well, k?"

They nodded together and left. Kanon murmured finally, "Honestly, those two… Have got to be the slowest moving couple in the world." She smirked to herself and sighed, stretching, "Playing cupid can be so damn difficult. I should really think about giving it a rest." She smiled as she took out another stick of Pocky and crunched it happily. She finished, "I just wish it weren't so fun."

* * *

Kanon likes Pocky.

- Jackal

(30 watchers, woo! Think I can make it to 100?)


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

_Tap, tap, tap. _Masamune's confident steps and Rin's less-than-confident ones resounded in the empty hall together. Rin kept a step behind him as they walked and each kept to their own thoughts. They had nothing to say.

_Or, maybe that's only true for Masamune_, Rin thought gloomily. As for her, thousands of thoughts went through her head but nothing she wanted to share or could find the courage to say aloud came to mind. She had been wondering if she should say something just to be polite when Date stopped. He had paused so abruptly that she bumped into him.

"Hey, don't just-"

Rin started to complain but he interrupted, "Rin."

After a surprised silence she answered half-jokingly, "… Yes, that's me."

"Hm…"

He was silent and she asked slightly irritated now, "What?"

He turned to face her and asked seriously, "When you told me you loved me the other week, how much did you mean it?"

"Wh-_what_?" she stuttered, her face turning red. She turned away to avoid his firm gaze and asked flustered, "W-why are you asking me that _now _of all times? Couldn't it wait until-"

"No. I need to know, _**now**_." He continued looking at her intensely and she crumbled under the pressure. _Damn that eye_, she thought weakly. _It's as if it has the power of two._

She turned an her face slightly to look at him, her face turning red. She played with a strand of hair nervously and finally mumbled, "Well… As serious as I thought I could be…"

"I see…" he looked out the side window thoughtfully, abandoning his gaze on her.

She glared now and stopped playing with her hair to cross her arms. She asked fervently, "Why? You don't believe me?"

"I don't know, to be honest," he shrugged. "A lot of girls have confessed to me, but they've never truly meant it like you do. Or at least, think you do." He walked to the window and opened it, then leaned on the sill comfortably. He rested his cheek on his palm, "Besides, you've never taken any of my confessions seriously either."

"W-well, what do you mean by that?" Rin asked, "You've never-"

"I've told you plenty of times that I like you," he countered. "I've said it and I've shown you." He smirked as her face turned an attractive shade of red.

"Sh-shown me?" she asked, dropping her defense in surprise.

Suddenly he was in front of her and she backed into the wall. He trapped her by placing his hands on either side of her head. He explained with mock solemnity, "Three times, in fact. And you responded to every one of them, _**remember**_?"

She clenched her teeth to hold back her tremors. He was close… Too close. She could feel the heat radiating off him and she was getting nervous. It wasn't like he was going to try taking advantage of her in the middle of the school hallway; but still, she was unused to being so close to another human being, let alone a guy. And one that she liked, for that matter.

She swallowed nervously and he only smirked as she tried forcing out assertively, "O-oh, so just because you kiss me, I'm supposed to take it as a heartfelt confession?"

"Well, why not?" he asked, "Haven't I said that actions speak louder than words?" He moved a hand to grip her chin so she couldn't look away. _So close… _She thought, her cheeks turning even redder.

She could only glare weakly, "So my confession last week meant nothing to you, in comparison to how your kisses were supposed to be for me?"

He sighed and his breath ruffled her bangs. He let go of her chin to let it rest at his side and said, "That isn't what I mean at all."

"Then what _do_ you mean, Masamune?" she asked, her voice louder now. "Because that's honestly how I feel you think right now." He glanced away and didn't reply so she continued berating him, "I'm not like you, Masamune. I'm not just going to kiss you or touch you like you think you should to show affection.

"I told you how I honestly felt and you turned me down. Not only that, but you told me you 'weren't sure if you truly loved me', but if that's so, then why did you kiss me? Do you just randomly kiss girls you like?" He still wouldn't reply and she sighed disgustedly.

She managed to duck under his arm and said, "Well, I hate to break it to you, Masamune, but I'm not that kind of girl. I don't want you to just kiss me unless you mean it."

"I did mean it," he finally spoke up. She froze and he said again, "I meant it. Every one."

"You… did?" she asked slowly, her heart beating faster. She clenched her fists to try and stop shaking.

He looked her in the eye and said, "Of course."

He wasn't smirking, but he wasn't frowning either. His expression was somewhat unreadable, but his voice held a tone of assurance. She wanted to believe him. Badly.

She turned to face him. "Then why can't you just say-"

"My mother liked to use that phrase a lot…" he murmured. He was looking out the window thoughtfully again. His eye glazed over slightly as he watched the clouds drift by, "She always told me how much she 'loved' me… But she never came close to me."

"What do you mean?" Rin asked.

He turned to look at her again and shrugged, "I mean, as a kid I never got hugs or kisses, not even from my parents. They always said 'I love you' though, but when you're a kid, you don't want to be just told that. You want to be shown it.

"Then… After I lost my eye, my dad had been long gone, and my mom stopped coming near me entirely so I knew… She never meant what she said." He touched his eye patch distractedly and Rin walked back to face him.

She said desperately, "But I'm not like her, Masamune… You can trust my word, can't you?"

He smirked slightly, "Can I? I mean, most of the time, you've told me you hated me."

Her face re-heated and she said, "Only because I believed it. To me, that was the truth, and I spoke it."

"But it wasn't in reality, was it?" he asked.

She shook her head slowly and looked away, "… No." They were silent again until Rin mumbled, "My mom is like that too…"

Date raised an eyebrow now, "Oh?"

Rin shook her head and laughed sadly, "Well, not entirely… She used to be really nice and she took care of her family well but… Then my dad disappeared and she fell apart…"

"What do you mean by 'disappeared'?" he asked.

Rin sighed as she hugged her opposite elbow, "Well… He left to work in the city when I was nine or so and he… Never came back, so…" she choked up and said in a rush, "I don't like talking about it, okay? The point is that my mom was never the same afterwards…"

"Did she hurt you?"

Rin took her time before whispering finally, "Yes…" she said more loudly now, "I already told you though… I don't like-"

Suddenly, his arms wrapped around her shoulders and he pulled her close. "We're the same then," he stated simply.

She didn't even resist but she hugged him back immediately and whispered, "Masamune, I love you. I really and truly do."

He nodded and laughed gently, "I know."

"I want to be with you… I want to be at your side. I want to stay with you forever."

"Forever?" he asked. She could hear the amusement in his voice, but she knew he was taking this seriously.

She nodded against his chest and held him back tighter. She repeated honestly, "Forever."

He laughed and finally stated, "I know."

He began stroking her hair and she burrowed against him as she whispered again, her voice quivering slightly, "I love you."

He repeated softly, "I know, Rin."

Her eyes watered and she moved to look him in the eye. She asked, "But do _you_ love _me_?"

He smiled and wiped her tears away, "Of course, I do."

She pushed his hand away but gripped it in both of hers, "Then say it."

He blinked in surprise at first, then grinned. He moved his face closer to hers and asked, "Can't I just show you?"

She shook her head and placed her hands over his mouth now. She pleaded, "_Please_, Masamune… Just say it… Just tell me that you love me… Is it really that difficult?"

He sighed and backed off asking, "Why do you think words weigh more than action? People lie with words, but they can't with actions.

"You've lied by telling me that you hated me, but all your actions have proven otherwise. What if this time, as you tell me you love me, turns out to be a lie as well? Will your actions reveal your _**hate**_?"

"Then you'll just have to trust me," she said. "Trust my words and I'll trust your actions… Isn't that what couples do? They trust each other, even if they show each other love in different ways. I want to trust your actions, but I also want to be able to trust your words, like you can with mine."

He raised an eyebrow with amusement, "Oh? So you're calling us a couple now?"

She sighed and looked away, suddenly the moment seeming less sincere. "N-not at all. I'm only saying-"

"_**I love you**_."

Rin blinked in surprise and looked at him. She hadn't really understood what he said, but if it was what she had hoped he would say… "What was that?" she whispered hesitantly.

He only smirked and murmured, "You'll just have to _**guess**_," before finally kissing her firmly.

* * *

"…Kanon-sama… Don't you think you're playing this game a little too far?" Kanon sighed and ignored the speaker as she continued writing notes down in her notebook. Yukimura had left a while ago and no one else was around, so Kanon had been alone until this "inconsiderate jerk", she thought, decided to pester her.

The person crossed their arms and sighed loudly as they asked again, "Kanon-sama?"

She wrote down the name, "Ichirou" in her notebook and then said, "You know, if this were like that one anime with the killer note books, you'd be dead in about 40 seconds…"

Ichigo rolled her eyes, "Right, right, whatever… You and your anime."

Kanon smirked as she stretched then, "Mm… Speaking of which," she stood up abruptly and said, "I'm going to miss my show if I don't move now, so, if you excuse me…"

She tried sneaking past the smaller girl but suddenly she brought out her knife and said through gritted teeth, "Not until we finish talking, _Kanon-sama_."

The attack came quickly and Kanon had a split second to use her notebook as a shield. Kanon blinked in surprise at first and then laughed as she gently pushed the weapon away. "_Wow_," she said sarcastically, "You actually bring that to school?" she turned and sat back in her seat comfortably and cooed, "Scary."

Ichigo glared and spat back, "Well, you never know when you may have to use it to threaten your lazier-than-hell business colleague. I came because we needed to talk and I heard that you had recently weaseled your way into the school nurse's position."

"I believe the correct term for it is 'jackaled'," Kanon joked, but Ichigo wasn't amused. Kanon smirked as she shrugged and leaned back in her chair again, pulling off her red glasses. "Fine, I suppose I could spend a little time talking to my favorite little nuisance, but make this quick. I'd really like to see today's episode of-"

"Will you drop the 'innocent' act already?" Ichigo shouted furiously, "_Seriously_! No one buys it, and it only makes my glorious Suzume-sama look bad!"

Kanon snorted and then muttered, "'My glorious Suzume-sama', pfft."

"Don't laugh," Ichigo sniffed haughtily. "You're just jealous you can't be like her."

Kanon snorted again and waved a hand over her face, "Hello? Twin Number Two here."

"You're nothing like her," Ichigo said ardently, "You may have the identical face, but you'll never be the same. That's why Kojuro-san picked _her _instead of _you_."

"Look, you," Kanon glowered. "Were you here to give me a message or to wipe your Suzume-loving juices on me? Because let me tell you, I'm really not in the mood for this. I'm missing my show right now."

Ichigo sniffed disbelievingly, "Hmph, well, I came because I wanted to know what you were up to."

"Up to?" Kanon asked innocently.

Ichigo glared, "Yes. You've been snooping around Oda Nobunaga's district way too much lately."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kanon smirked.

Ichigo continued glaring, "Not only that, but you've been interfering with the _Dokuganryu_'s business affairs."

"Hm…" Kanon pretended to think about these claims seriously but then shrugged and said innocently, "Nope. Still don't know what you're talking about."

Ichigo sighed now, "Look, feigning innocence doesn't work when you smirk like that."

Kanon sighed as she swung around in her chair. She grabbed another box of Pocky from her drawers and began munching on the chocolate sticks carelessly. "Well, appearance doesn't mean anything."

"It does with you." Kanon only smirked. Finally Ichigo heaved another sigh as she said, "Fine then, let's say that, hypothetically speaking, you _were _interfering with the _Dokuganryu_."

"I'm listening," Kanon continued to smirk.

"What do you stand to gain if he falls in love?"

"Gain?" Kanon asked sweetly, "Well, his happiness of course. You know I love little Bontenmaru as if he were my own brother."

"You killed your older one," Ichigo muttered.

Kanon gasped melodramatically as she slapped a hand to her cheek in surprise. She asked in a mock wounded voice, "Oh, but I meant my _other _brother. You know, the one who's still alive?"

"Hmph, the only one you could possibly love in the world other than yourself is Kojuro-san, and he isn't interested. He could only ever love the one woman you can't win against."

Kanon stood up abruptly and looked as if she were about to hit Ichigo but suddenly the tense air passed quickly as she forced on a calmer façade. She suddenly laughed and shook her head, "You sneaky, little shit. Kougran taught you well, didn't he?"

It was Ichigo's turn to smirk now as she replied conceitedly, "He didn't have to for me to know _that._ It's written all over your face."

"Hmph…" Kanon turned to look over the papers on her desk indifferently but suddenly she started coughing. At first, they were small and quiet but after a few moments they got rougher and soon she was having a coughing fit.

Ichigo only watched with mild interest as Kanon covered her mouth tightly and gripped her chest as she started hacking away. After a while, she calmed down and was left panting for breath, her shoulders heaving as she supported herself on the desktop. There was a small trace of blood now on her hand, but she wiped it away on her black jeans and then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"It's gotten worse," Ichigo commented coolly when Kanon finally caught her breath.

Kanon glared, "I'm fine…" she breathed out.

Ichigo smirked, unconvinced, "Whatever you say, Kanon-sama."

Kanon had moved to the window and was looking out of it thoughtfully when she murmured to herself again, "Right… I'm fine." She watched as students wandered around the courtyard during their free period and then, continuing their previous conversation, "If anyone is going to control this stupid city and bring peace to it… It will be Bontenmaru."

Ichigo lifted an eyebrow with amusement, she asked, "Oh? Not Motonari-sama?"

Kanon smiled softly and replied, "No… Not Motonari." She turned her head slightly to look at Ichigo from the corner of her eye and explained, "Motonari has the wit and the power, but unfortunately, my brother doesn't have the compassion to rule." She shook her head as if to agree with herself, "No… Bontenmaru is really the only one who could do it. He's the only one I'd _want _to live under, anyways."

Ichigo smirked, "Oh? Then do you believe he'll be able to overpower the Devil King?"

Kanon nodded and said confidently, "Yes, but not alone."

Ichigo waited for Kanon to elaborate but when she didn't, she gave in to her curiosity and asked, "With whom, then?"

Kanon sighed and said, "It's true that he will defeat the Devil King… But he needs more support. He needs more friends. Who he needs, is Rin."

"Kazehaya Rin?" Ichigo questioned.

Kanon nodded, "Indeed." She traced patterns with her finger on the window sill and continued, "Sanada Yukimura will help him defeat the Devil King, but Rin will support him and show him that he's not so alone… She will be the one to give him a reason to fight.

"Kojuro has done well in his part to do that, but not even _he_ is enough to fill the hole in Bontenmaru's heart."

"Hole?"

"Yes... The gap his bitch of a mother dug into him is deep," Kanon said wisely. "And the only type of person who could fill it again is another woman. Not me... Not Suzume... But a girl his age who has a hole of her own to complete, and who has similar parental problems. That girl is Rin, and Rin alone."

"Hm... You sound like you have a lot of confidence in her," Ichigo commented observantly.

"I do," Kanon said confidently. "I already made the mistake of trying to get Bontenmaru a friend before, but he was a failure, and only managed to hurt Bontenmaru more." She gripped the window sill tightly, "Right... _I_ only hurt him more and in the process, Suzume as well. I can't let that happen again, so I have to have every bit of confidence in my new decision."

Ichigo fingered her weapon thoughtfully as she stated casually, "You know, her mother is Usagami Ayaka."

Kanon looked at the subordinate curiously and asked, "Is she really?"

Ichigo nodded, "Yeah, and her father is 'Kazehaya' Minoru, 'The Wandering Gale'."

Suddenly, as if a light had clicked in Kanon's mind, she asked in astonishment, "Is he really?!"

Ichigo looked at her with mild surprise and answered, "Of course. Didn't you know?"

Kanon took a deep breath and muttered, "Then that explains…"

She trailed off so Ichigo probed, "What?" Kanon looked thoughtful but didn't answer.

They were both quiet as a sudden, autumn wind blew in. It made Kanon's ponytail drift in the air as she thought about the new information and Ichigo shivered slightly.

Ichigo hated autumn.

"It's going to rain," she said, trying to coax Kanon into talking again.

"Mm…" was all she got as a reward. Suddenly Kanon turned to face Ichigo and said, "Oh, wait, if that's so, then I really need to go now."

"Wait, _go_?" Ichigo asked in confusion, the sudden change in topic throwing her off balance again. "Go whe- HEY!"

Ichigo ran to the window as Kanon suddenly jumped out of it; crouching on the ground to steady herself before leaping up and taking off again. Since they were only on the first floor it didn't take her long to recover. She waved behind her and shouted, "See you later, Ichirou-kun! Make sure you tell Kougran to shove his suspicions back up his ass for me!"

"Wait, Kanon-sama, _wait, _damn it!We aren't through speaking yet!" Ichigo yelled at her, but Kanon only laughed back.

"Damn," Ichigo muttered to herself after Kanon was out of sight. She sighed, "Always so impetuous."

* * *

A/N:

- Kanon doesn't have tuberculosis.

- She likes anime.

- The anime she had been referring to was _Death Note_, if you hadn't already guessed.

- Jackal

(And the answer to your question, **DeadlyVampire-DayDream Corp**, if you're still reading this: Kanon's favorite kind of Pocky is strawberry. Ha ha, thanks for reviewing and staying with me this long. I hope you continue. :) Also, thank you to **S****hiori Kudo **and **Samurai Girl **for the birthday wishes. They made my day~)


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

"_Jackal-chan, Jackal-chan, Jackal-chan… What ever am I going to do with you, you silly jackal you?" Kanon only murmured something incomprehensible as her companion laughed gently and shifted her onto his shoulder. He reprimanded her gently, "You know, you didn't have to go that far and drink so much saké for my sake, I can hold down my alcohol quite well."_

"_Not… As well as I can…" Kanon argued drunkenly. "Kazehaya-sensei… You liar… You know you… Have a low tolerance for alcohol. Urk." They paused for Kanon to take a few deep breaths and force the bile back down her throat._

_Kazehaya Minoru laughed his normally booming laugh softly this time, so as not to hurt Kanon's ears in her weakened state. He said offhandedly, "True, true, I suppose, since no one can quite hold down liquor like you can, but still…"_

_Kanon glared now and said, "Well, I wouldn't have had to go so far in the first place if _you_ hadn't accepted that stupid job in the first place, Idiot-sensei!"_

_He laughed sheepishly now and said, "Well… How could I bear to turn those kids down anyways, they looked so helpless…"_

"_You always take pity on everyone and take jobs for less than what's being rewarded," Kanon pretended to complain, "And I always end up paying for it!"_

_Minoru suddenly stopped and asked somewhat apprehensively, "I'm sorry, Jackal-chan… Do you resent me?"_

_Kanon sighed heavily and rubbed her forehead, "Of course not, you giant idiot. I just wish you weren't so damned nice all the time, those kids were clearly conning you, I hope you know now."_

"_I know… But…" The giant man paused guiltily and Kanon rolled her eyes as she continued trying to walk. He started walking with her again, four steps of hers easily equaling only one of his, and they strolled down the empty street together again at Kanon's sluggish pace. Soon, Minoru asked softly, "Do you really think that?"_

"_Duh." Kanon rolled her eyes and complained again, "Geez, you giant softie, if someone asked you for one of your limbs you'd ask them 'which one' and then hand it over with a smile!"_

_Minoru laughed and joked, "Well, it's our job to give people a 'hand' if you know what I mean."_

_Kanon scoffed, "You know, your jokes are getting lamer and lamer every day. You must be getting old."_

_Her teacher laughed again, "Isn't that right…"Finally he sighed and said, more to himself, "Well, it's the least I can do… After all I've done…"_

_Kanon slowed slightly to look at him but he was looking straight ahead. After some silence Kanon finally grumbled, "… Idiot-sensei… You're too soft hearted."_

_Minoru laughed._

* * *

"Jackal… Hey, Jackal, you know, school is still in session."

Kanon jolted in her seat as Rin gently shook her awake. She blinked amber eyes a few times in confusion at the staring pair of black ones. _Minoru-sensei...? _She thought she was having some sort of hallucination until she realized who it really was and suddenly she yawned.

"Aaah… Rin. What are you doing here?" she asked with mock sleepiness. She rubbed her eyes under her fashion glasses and stretched widely. _Stupid me, of course it wasn't him. What was I thinking?_

Rin placed her hands on her hips as she sighed. She explained, "Well, Suzu-sensei asked me to make sure you were doing your job in her place, since something held her up today."

"Oh?" Kanon asked, she grinned. "I see." Rin turned to look out the window and Kanon asked, suddenly noticing her somber mood, "So… Is something the matter? You're not looking too hot today."

Rin blushed and said quickly, "Ah, I'm fine… Just…" She looked away, unable to meet Kanon's criticizing gaze. The truth was, she was somewhat depressed.

On her way there, she had been taking a shortcut when she had overheard a conversation between Masamune and another girl. At first, she was going to overlook it. It was nothing personal really, and who cared if Masamune was talking with another female? The school was made up of about 48 percent of them, so it was unavoidable, right?

So, without wanting to interrupt it, she had started walking back where she had come when the other girl's voice said, all business-like, "My parents are out on business meetings all weekend, so I was wondering whether you'd be free."

Rin froze.

She didn't have to see Masamune's facial expression to hear the sort of smirk in his voice, "Sure, though that really depends on what you had in mind for us to do."

The girl giggled mischievously, "Ah, well, you know. Whatever you _wanted_ to do, I guess. Something fun." Rin clenched her fists and she could feel her nails painfully digging into her palms.

Date also laughed and Rin bit her lip as he replied, "You know what I consider _**fun**_, don't you?" Rin could only assume that the girl nodded because Date suddenly sighed, "Well, _**alright**_ then, if you think you can handle it."

"Is tomorrow afternoon alright then?" she asked.

"Sure, but there is one thing-"

Rin didn't wait to listen to the rest as she turned and hurried back to another route she knew of quickly, her face burning. They still weren't a "steady couple" per say, but Rin had definitely thought they were, at the very least, something more than 'just friends'. After all, she _had _confessed that she loved him; not all that long ago. A few weeks, even. And although she didn't really know what the phrase 'Ai rahve you' meant in English, she had assumed it was a confession of his… Of a sort…

Because she had though that, she assumed that they were 'closer' now, but he hadn't openly asked her to be his girlfriend. He hadn't asked her to go out on any dates. They kept their conversations at a minimum. They talked to each other through sparse phone calls and e-mails… And occasionally did they converse online, but it stopped at about there.

Actually, after their last encounter, she had barely gotten to see him again for more than a few minutes and they were never alone.

It was as if every time they tried meeting each other, something or other would end up disrupting it and they'd have to cancel or there would end up being some third or fourth party around. The only time she ever got to see him was when he was at the store and, occasionally, he'd come to see her during their lunch period, but it never seemed to be enough. And if she was with Yukimura, Rin could definitely count on Masamune not being around. Not only that, but lately it seemed he had gotten busier on the political side of things, so it took up most of his free time nowadays, when he wasn't fooling around with his swords. There was some sort of national tournament coming up and he was working even harder than usual.

But so what if another girl just asked Date Masamune out? He was a popular guy; it happened all the time. Besides, she had already decided in the very beginning that she would never fall for a confident, self-loving, jerk like him.

And so what if he decided to go out with another girl even when Rin had sent him a text the previous day asking if he could help her buy some things to repair the antique store with? She could always just ask Motonari; he always seemed to creep around the area… Or, so long as he didn't come into the shop, she could meet with Yukimura and they could-… Rin sighed gloomily.

Still… Even after those weak attempts of consoling herself, suddenly her chest had ached and Rin couldn't understand why she seemed so much more miserable… They weren't a couple... But she wished they were.

Kanon studied Rin's blank expression before she took down a white binder from a shelf overhead and then began thumbing through the pages. She changed the topic and said casually, "So now that it's November, your six month trial as my apprentice is practically over."

"Ah, that's right!" Rin suddenly said. She had officially started in the second week of June and now it almost the end November. Already, frost had begun forming on the ground in some areas. Had so much time really passed since then?

"No need to jump at the thought; you still have about two weeks left, so it's not over yet." Kanon grumbled teasingly. She shrugged and said with mock woe, "It's as if I'm a terrible boss or something." Rin bit back any retorts she had and Kanon asked, "So, what will you do?"

"Do?" Rin asked.

Kanon sighed, "Well… Two weeks may sound like a long time to you, but really, it'll be over before you know it. Once it _is_ over though… What will you be doing afterwards? Will you go back to your waitress job or are you planning on staying my apprentice for good?"

Rin winced. She had never thought about it… Actually, she had been hoping to stay Kanon's apprentice 'forever', if not only to see Masamune every day, but with how things were going… She wasn't too sure anymore… It wasn't that she didn't like working for Kanon; far from it. It was the most fun she'd ever had in her life, but this constant on-and-off thing going on between her and Masamune… It confused her and she was never certain of how to act around him anymore.

She knew that what he had told her after she confessed to him previously meant _something _endearing, but what? Her English vocabulary didn't extend that far, and the fact that he knew more in a foreign language than she did infuriated her. Wasn't he supposed to be stupid or something?! If there was one subject he would always excel at, it would always be English...

Rin sighed and shook her head despairingly, "I don't know… I'd like to continue being your apprentice but…" She trailed off and Kanon got the message.

"Ah… Bontenmaru again…" she sighed, "Kids are so over dramatic these days." Rin eyed her suspiciously but Kanon only smiled smugly. Kanon shook her head and asked, "What is it with you two anyways? You're like light bulbs, one minute you're on and the next, off."

"Weird alliteration," Rin commented and Kanon shrugged. Rin sighed and said, "Well… I don't know… We just… Aren't as well-matched as I thought."

She shrugged off handedly and Kanon studied her again. Suddenly, a devilish thought popped into Kanon's head and she could barely contain her self-satisfied smirk. She suppressed her inner laughter and said, "Well, I think I know how to change that."

Rin eyed her suspiciously and Kanon forced as calmly as she could, "Come to the shop this Saturday afternoon and I promise that Bontenmaru will be there."

"I doubt it…" Rin murmured.

Kanon asked strangely, "And why is that? It's not like he'll be busy this weekend. I'm pretty sure he doesn't have any business meetings and I could always talk Kojuro into giving him a break from his 'oh-so-manly' sword exercises, so he's as good as free."

Rin's face heated up as she remembered his conversation with the female student and muttered, "I-I wouldn't say that…"

Kanon sighed and said, "Well, regardless of what you think, he actually promised he'd be there because I told him you needed help with something."

Rin asked, "With what?" She knew she had that one delivery to make but other than that…

Kanon smirked, "Well, with a certain… Job… But anyways, I have something I want to give you in addition."

Rin turned rigid as she asked suspiciously, "What?"

She had learned by now that Kanon's ideas of 'gifts' were far more complex and bizarre than a normal person's ideas. One example being the umbrella with several holes in it that Kanon no longer wanted and another being one of Masamune's old hakamas. … The second one, Rin had hidden somewhere else in the shop, not knowing what Kanon expected her to do with it. With the way Kanon had handed it to her, it was as if she thought Rin kept some sort of 'Masamune Shrine' along with the old picture of him… (Which she always carried with in her notebook.)

Kanon shrugged, "You'll just have to come and see." She glanced at the clock overhead and teased, "Now go back to class already, you Goody-Goody. Tell Suzu-chan that I'm awake now so she doesn't need to worry about me slacking off."

Rin rolled her eyes and waved, "Bye, then."

Just as she was leaving she heard Kanon say aloud, "And for the record, dragons aren't the only ones who always keep their promises… As well as jackals being quite loyal when they choose to be."

* * *

Later that afternoon, Date found Rin at her desk and he asked with a smirk, "Don't forget about our date tomorrow, _**alright**_?" He was watching Rin pack her bag with mild interest, as she was doing it somewhat aggressively today and when she did it like that, it could only mean one thing.

Rin was pissed.

About what, he was never really certain, but he could usually make her fess up sooner more than later.

She flushed as she put her books in her bag, the afternoon sun warming her side as she said snapped, "I already told you, this isn't a date."

Nope, nope, nope. Not a date.

She was actually somewhat surprised that he had remembered that she had asked at all.

Date sighed and wiped away imaginary tears, "You're as cruel as ever, as it's quite clearly a _**date**_."

"What makes you think that?" Rin asked furiously her face red, and suddenly very interested in rearranging her math book with her literature book.

Date blinked in surprise and then asked curiously, "_**Hey**_, is something wrong? You seem really pissed off and somehow you've forgotten that _you _were the one who suggested going shopping in the first place. Just yesterday afternoon in fact. Tell me, what is it that's making you so bent on thinking it anything but another date?"

Rin's face heated even more and she finally stopped her increasingly violent actions. She recalled her earlier feelings of excitement to get to spend time alone with Date without having to study, even briefly and then how she felt when she overheard his conversation with that girl…

A fist tapped her lightly on the side of her head and a voice called, "_**Yo**_ space cadet, you're needed back on planet Earth."

Rin blinked and finally turned to Date, who was smiling in an amused sort of way. She sighed and then said, "Well… I didn't say we were_ shopping_, I said I might need help gathering some things for Kanon-sama, and you're the only other person I know allowed in the shop, other than Motonari-kun who would most likely stick his nose up at the request.

"We're only going for a few minutes to a single store, and then after that I'm going home and studying for the final exams which, _you _should do as well."

Date sighed woefully, "Well, you're _**no fun**_."

Rin rolled her eyes, "Some of us actually care about our grades here."

Suddenly another voice entered their conversation and asked, "Ooh, making plans for this weekend?" Rin turned to look to see who it was and she instantly paled when she saw Kasuga with her shrewd smirk.

_Oh no_. Possibly the last person in the world to Rin wanted to overhear her making plans with Date Masamune. She hadn't told Kasuga about what had happened during her last meeting with Date, yet somehow the blonde girl already seemed to know that something was different between the two. Maybe not everything exactly, but something important... Rin knew exactly what was going to happen next.

_Oh no, oh no, oh no. _Rin thought in horror, _She's going to hang this over my head for the rest of my-_

"_Wow_," Kasuga said with mock sweetness, "That's _great_, I didn't know you two were so close."

Date shrugged, "Unfortunately not. We're only meeting for a few minutes and she says for no longer."

"Does she?" Kasuga asked, unfazed and throwing a subtle furious glance at Rin. Rin could feel her cheeks heating up.

"Well, it's true," she mumbled uneasily. Masamune may not have felt it, but Rin could feel the pressure of Kasuga's wrath creeping around her.

"Oh well, I hate to do this to you Masamune-kun, but I have to take Rin-chan away from you now," she smiled cheerfully as she grabbed Rin's hand and held it in an iron-like fist, as if making sure the younger girl would be unable to escape.

He waved nonchalantly, "_**That's fine**_, I have to go anyways. _**See you later**_, Kasuga-chan," He nodded to her Rin and said, "And I'll see you tomorrow then, Rin."

As soon as he left Rin was instantly flooded with Kasuga's excitement and she gripped her hand tightly with both of hers, "Ohmigod Rin-chan, you're going out on another date, and a serious one this time!"

"S-serious? You mean you didn't consider our first trip serious?" Rin asked.

"Not like this!" Kasuga said breathlessly. Her eyes glinted with mischievous excitement, "I mean, _this_ time you're going on a Saturday! You'll have a whole free afternoon afterwards to-"

"_Oh no_," Rin said quickly and firmly, her face turning red quickly, "We are _not _going to-"

"But he's such a smooth talker!" Kasuga said, entirely oblivious to Rin's discomfort. She was reminded then that she had wanted to prepare an outfit for Rin for the first date, but couldn't because it had been a school day. "Come on," she suddenly said, tugging Rin with her, "We're going to your house and we're going to plan a whole make-over for you."

"Apartment," Rin corrected and trying in vain to fight against the other girl. The blonde girl was surprisingly strong for her body mass…

Kasuga looked back at her and said, "Sure, whatever, your _home_. But come on! I need all the time I can to make sure you look presentable!"

Rin sighed, knowing this was a losing battle, "_Forget it_, this isn't going to be any more of a date than the last trip we made, and I'm not going to let you turn me into some sort of-" (she didn't want to say 'prostitute') "-overdressed, lovesick teen or whatever! No _way_! I absolutely _refuse_."

Kasuga sighed impatiently and said finally, "I _won't _overdress you. Fine, if this makes you feel any better, I promise to use _your _clothes only and Rin-Chan? I am going to go through your _entire_ wardrobe, even if it kills me because whether you like it or not, you're going out tomorrow with a member of the opposite sex."

"Well, that shouldn't take you long then," Rin mumbled gloomily as she thought about her tiny wardrobe and finally following her friend out.

* * *

A/N: Not much to say about this chapter but that I wrote this (Plus the next possible two) _way, way, way_ before I wrote chapters 8 and over, so a lot has changed story-wise since then. I've had a lot of trouble trying to change the original text to fit the new story line, which has become more intimate since then- so, sorry if some of it seems like we've gone backwards a bit.

I wanted to keep as much of the original text as possible, because what I had written was good, it just wasn't consistent with the story anymore… And unfortunately too much of it contradicted what I've posted, so I had to delete some previous stuff.

Also, there are two new series that I posted to accompany this one. _The Problem with Jackals _is a follow up of Kanon during her high school years with Kojuro and Suzume, and _The Problem with Smart Girls: Side Chapters _is a series of extra stories I had created originally for _this _series, but ended up having to be cut out due to time constraints…. Since this fanfiction is now going to be well over twenty chapters and does not have enough room for extra text.

Ick. More projects to keep up with...

- Jackal

('Ai rahve you' was how I imagined Date Masamune trying to say 'I love you'. Haaa... Japanese accents...)


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

"No, no, no… Too plain. Too long. Definitely not. Rin-Chan, next time you're free, you're mine to harass because we're going shopping to pick out new clothes for you. I swear you have absolutely _nothing _to wear."

_You don't call _this_ harassment? _Rin wondered. She sighed again as Kasuga tossed another plain black t-shirt into a pile of discarded clothes and said, "Well Kasuga-chan, not everyone has the same sense of style as you." She laughed inwardly upon thinking about the many see through and/or revealing t-shirts and sweaters her blonde friend owned; not to mention some of her dresses…

Kasuga rolled her eyes and replied, "Yeah, yeah, I know, but _still_. Rin-chan, are the only casual shirts you own mono-colored? And why are all your skirts so long? Don't you ever show a bit of thigh? And _why _do you have so many clothes for guys?!" she practically screeched and holding out a pair of large, baggy pants. She threw a shirt at Rin, who caught it.

She pressed it against her cheek gently. "They're my brother's old clothes," Rin said off-handedly. She murmured, "I feel comforted by the thought that I can still be near him in some way... I haven't seen him since he left to travel the world." She folded the shirt neatly and then waved at the small pile of clothes Kasuga had made, "And actually, Kasuga-chan, I happen to have a ton of nice clothes in there; you just overlooked them all because they actually do their job of _covering_ my body."

Kasuga made another disapproving huff as Rin played around with the ribbons Kasuga had brought. Kasuga was always playing Cat's Cradle or some sort of other string game and made it look so easy too, though Rin was never sure how Kasuga did it because _she_ always seemed to end up with a knotted string and tangled fingers…

After tying her fingers in a knot, she gave up and said moments later, "Anyways, why are you so worked up about this? I'm only visiting the antique store across the street with a classmate, so why should what I wear matter?"

"A classmate who happens to be _Date Masamune,_" Kasuga said, thoroughly irritated that Rin wasn't taking this seriously. She bit her thumb thoughtfully as she stared at Rin's 'barren' closet.

"_So_?" Rin asked.

Kasuga threw her arms in the air and said exasperatedly, "_So, _my annoyingly-adorable friend, you're going out with the current heir to the city and you're taking it about as seriously as last night's dinner!"

Rin snorted, amused by the expression Kasuga had used, "Oh please, Kasuga-chan, don't make me laugh. You know I'm not into politics so Date Masamune's position in this city's hierarchy means absolutely nothing to me. Looking good for him is the last thing on my mind." Especially after that last conversation she had overheard.

"Well _you_ may not care if you look like a homeless person in front of one of the most powerful people in the city but _I_ do because you're my friend!" Kasuga said with a huff and turned back to attack Rin's closet.

"'Homeless person'...?" Rin laughed under her breath. She sighed as Dandelion jumped onto the bed and rubbed herself against her hand. "Well, just don't give yourself a heart attack. We aren't going until tomorrow afternoon."

Kasuga shook her head and said, "Not enough time to find the perfect outfit for you. You have to take these things seriously Rin-chan, because the dates are always crucial in a relationship. Too many and you seem needy; not enough and the relationship doesn't last, and _trust me _you're categorized in the latter which is pretty dangerous considering your relationship is still fresh."

Rin snorted.

"It's true," Kasuga insisted. "If you want a serious relationship, you have to look exactly right."

Rin let her forehead drop onto the bed as she said irritated, "For the last time, it's _not a date _Kasuga-chan. I need to buy some things and I'm going in to drop them off at the Antiques store, then leaving. Nothing more, alright?"

And this time she _wouldn't _be beaten by the clock like during her first visit there because she had planned to set the alarm on her phone to go off. It seemed that no matter how hard she tried to be on time, somehow the clock (or, _clocks_, really) always managed to beat her and she always lost track of time, therefore working more hours than necessary to Kanon's smug amusement. It was like the Antique Store had its own frame of time.

"On a Saturday?" Kasuga asked skeptically.

Rin stuttered, "W-well, there weren't any other-"

"And if you weren't planning on doing anything afterwards, why didn't you ask me, or Sasuke, or Yukimura-kun to go with you?" Kasuga argued. "You probably could have asked _anyone _besides Date-kun."

"W-well, because—" Rin's face reddened as she thought of an excuse. She couldn't tell her that the real reason was because the first time she had accepted Kanon's job Kanon had specifically told her that she wasn't allowed to bring any of her other friends… It just sounded stupid. Rin cursed Kanon for that particular rule now.

"Mm-hm," Kasuga hummed with a sort of smug little smirk. "Come on, you've already confessed that you loved him and he replied! You're not really being fair to him."

"Hey, wait a minute," Rin cried indignantly, "You're not being fair either you know! I mean, he's never even asked me out! He said something weird in English, yeah, okay, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was a _real _confession!

"He could have told me that he hated me, or that I smell like a leek, or something just as weird, and I'll have no way of knowing." _Unless I ask, which I'm definitely not doing, _Rin thought silently.

"He just isn't the type to ask you straight out," Kasuga answered with an unworried wave, "He assumes that you're a couple already because the connection between you is so strong, and so you should too. Isn't it easier this way? It's like you've already said 'yes' but without having to."

"Oh, so if I suddenly decided to sleep with him, _which I don't_," she voiced carefully as Kasuga smirked, "I should just sit in his bed and he'd automatically get the message, rather than thinking 'what the hell is this dork doing'?"

"Yes."

"Auggh!" Rin threw a pillow at Kasuga who dodged it easily with a laugh.

"So what about you, hmm?" Rin suddenly shot, "What about you and Sasuke-kun? You're on a first name basis aren't you? You two fight like a married couple so often, you might as well be one! Not only that, but everyone's always said you should get together!"

"_What_?" Kasuga practically screeched, "_And who says that_?! Because I swear I'll knock out all their teeth!"

Rin shook her head and just said, "_Everyone?"_

"Kazehaya Rin, I think you made that up just to make a point! _Sarutobi _and I are completely incompatible for each other! It's _you_ and _Date_ that everyone always talks about! I mean, you've been dating for, what, two weeks now? _Three? _- And you've been avoiding the poor guy the whole time, despite all his attempts to get your attention!

"If you ask me, that's pretty damn selfish and he may be a jerk, but not even Date Masamune deserves that sort of treatment!"

"What attempts?!" Rin taunted, "I barely even get a 'hello' from him anymore, much less a-"

"Oh. My_God_. _Rin_ dear," Kasuga scorned as she put a hand to her forehead in distress, "_You are so dense._ Have you seriously not noticed him hanging around your class during his free periods, waiting for you to tear yourself away from Yukimura-kun?"

Rin blushed and argued, "I-I _have not _been glued to Yukimura-kun!"

"I didn't say you were," Kasuga jeered slightly. "But you two _have _been somewhat friendlier with each other, so people have been creating rumors that you're just doing it to make Date-kun jealous!

"People have already noticed how close you were to him from the start, you know!"

The two girls each glared at each other, fighting a silent battle of determination. Naturally, Kasuga won. Rin finally looked away, her cheeks red with embarrassment and asked inaudibly, "So… People have noticed?..."

Kasuga rolled her eyes and said, "Well _duh_. Date Masamune is always being watched, so it's kind of a big thing when he's seen hanging around with some country girl in between classes and every other day, no offense."

"None taken," Rin muttered. Kasuga was right, how could Rin not have noticed? Of course it would be weird for one of the most well-known guys _in the city _to be seen with a girl straight out of the country side. Sure, Rin wasn't like most country girls, but what did that matter to city officials? She still came from a lower classed area.

Kasuga continued, "And don't even _try_ to pretend that you haven't been getting more notes threatening you to stay away from him recently!"

Rin laughed weakly and reasoned, "Well, yeah, but it's not like they're _that_ serious. I'm sure that as soon as they see that we aren't really dating then they'll get over themselves and leave me alone, right?"

"You don't seriously believe that, do you?" Kasuga scoffed and rolled her eyes.

Rin took her ponytail and sort of pet it as she mumbled, "But… We aren't dating… Seriously… We aren't."

"Then what are you to each other?" Kasuga challenged.

"Just friends…" Rin murmured somewhat uncertainly. Finally, with a resigned sigh Rin glanced at the clock on her side and after recognizing the time said, "Well, it's getting kind of late. Did you want to stay over for dinner or have anything to eat?"

Kasuga thought about it and said, "Hm, that depends on what you have tonight."

"Well, since I pretty much burn anything edible I was able to get left over spaghetti from my waitress job."

Kasuga made a sort of face and said, "Tempting, but I think I'll just go home for dinner, if you don't mind. I'm on a diet."

Now it was Rin's turn to make a face as she said exasperatedly, "That's crazy, Kasuga-Chan, you're taller _and _skinnier than me."

Kasuga only shook her shoulders with a shrug, "One can never be too much of either and I'm not skinnier than you; you're being too modest. Anyways, wear this." She held up a simple black skirt with a white collared blouse. She rolled her eyes in exasperation and said, "All your clothes are so formal and plain, you might bore him to death just by standing in front of him, but this should make you look at least relatively sexy."

Rin complained, "But I don't _want _to look-"

Kasuga silenced her with one of her coldest glares and said firmly, "You're wearing this and if you don't, I'll tie you down now and glue these clothes onto you before I leave."

Rin held up her hands in submission and tried calming the other girl's furious gaze, "F-fine, I'll wear it. But seriously, we aren't planning on doing anything together afterwards."

Kasuga sniffed disbelievingly, "Whatever. Here, I'll be kind today and let you wear knee socks since it's getting colder."

"Gee, thanks, considering that it's practically the middle of December now," Rin muttered sarcastically.

"What was that?" Kasuga asked sharply and Rin waved her hands quickly.

"N-nothing." Kasuga held a black pair of socks for Rin who threw herself onto her back. She groaned, "Kasuga-chan... I love you dearly but you're as cruel as a kunoichi when it comes to things like this."

"Well, I suppose that's just what I'll always be at heart," Kasuga laughed.

* * *

The next morning Rin woke up feeling different. It was an odd feeling and she couldn't place the reason why she seemed so strung up.

It was just another delivery, right? It was totally natural. She was just trading one package for another for her boss and she just happened to be dressed in something different from her school uniform. Yes, she was going to get help from a guy, but that was totally natural too, given the rules set by her crazy, alcoholic boss.

But he also happened to have feelings for her and expressed them many times, as he had so blatantly told her so many weeks ago. But they weren't strong feelings, Rin argued with herself. It wasn't love, right? He couldn't even bring himself to say it in a way she could understand, so clearly their feelings weren't reciprocated. And they weren't even dating, so why?...

She straightened her skirt again nervously as a couple walked past her.

Rin worried he wouldn't come. After all, he was making plans with some other girl before, right? What if he-?

Suddenly her phone rang and Rin fumbled to get it out of her pocket. It was a text.

A text from Date.

She bit her lip nervously, already expecting the message to say he couldn't make it but she forced herself to click the open option and read with bated breath, _Sorry, had to come early. Meet me at the shop instead._

Rin sighed in relief, well that was that then. She would see him there. A strange, feathery sensation suddenly filled Rin's chest as she put the phone away quickly. She read the text again and then grumbled, "You idiot; that completely defeats the purpose of meeting at all. I said I needed help shopping..."

She shook her head and sighed; well, might as well go then.

* * *

"Jackal!" Rin called, pulling off her shoes and placing them on the matt after entering the shop. "_Jackal_? Are you in?"

She stepped over the threshold but as soon as she did, her phone went off again. She figured it was a text message but it was actually the alarm clock warning her that it was 2:45 already.

But already?

She had just gotten there and it was impossible for the fifteen minutes she gave herself to already be over. Rin clicked the 'snooze' option and shook her head, maybe it was just- It went off again immediately and Rin scowled.

_What's going on?_ The snooze feature requested five minutes every time it was chosen and she hadn't even had time to put the phone back in her pocket.

Finally, figuring that it was broken, Rin turned the alarm off completely and continued on inside. She'd have to ask Date about it later. Speaking of which, he was just walking in from the back rooms.

"Yo," Date greeted her with a half-wave and grinned.

Rin stopped herself before smiling back. She scoffed instead and turned so he couldn't see her red face. She said, "You know, meeting each other here defeats the purpose of meeting each other at all."

He raised an eyebrow questioningly and asked, "And why is that?"

She sighed, "Because I said I needed help with shopping, and I thought Kanon-sama told you that."

He shrugged somewhat apologetically, "Nope, she just told me to come here to see you."

Rin sighed, _honestly_. She asked then, "By the way, where is she?"

"That's what I was wondering," Date said seriously now and looking around. "I've been looking for her for the past five minutes but she doesn't seem to be around." He glanced behind her at the post where Kanon's white trench coat usually hung. He pointed, "Her trench coat is missing, so she must be out, but I wasn't aware that she had a job today."

"Right..." Rin murmured. _And she told me she needed me here today to give me something. _"Let me look."

"**_Suit yourself_**," Date said with a shrug.

She had much less trouble finding her way around the shop than when she did when she'd first worked there, but somehow, after leaving the main room she found herself in a room she'd never been in - let alone one she'd seen before. She sighed. It seemed that although _she_ had taken quite a liking to the _shop_, _it_ still did not like _her _very much, if it was still playing this sort of game with her.

She turned to leave when a voice asked behind her, "Looking for me?"

Rin jumped as Kanon jumped down from a sort of alcove and she cried in surprise, "Jackal!"

Kanon grinned shrewdly as she landed like a cat and joined Rin, "Yup, that's me. So, were you looking for me?"

Rin studied the older woman because something seemed slightly off with her. She looked fine, but something about her... Rin shook her head and said, "Yeah, you know, Masamune said he'd been looking for you. Where were you?"

"Had he?" Kanon blinked and she looked genuinely surprised. She scratched the back of her head thoughtfully and murmured, "I see... Oh, right... I see..." Suddenly, she looked sad and Rin realized what seemed so different; she was tired. Some dark shadows lined Kanon's eyes, if only faintly and there seemed to be a sort of emptiness in her normally glinting eyes. It was like she was a ghost of her normal, playful self.

"Jackal... Are you alright?" Rin asked uncertainly.

Kanon jumped slightly as if she had forgotten Rin was there and she laughed, "Of course I am; I just drank a bit too much last night, so pipe down already. You're giving me a headache." She rubbed her forehead and complained, "God, you're noisy."

"But-"

Suddenly Kanon shook her head to silence her and said, "So, the reason why I wanted you here today was because I had a new job for you… But…"

"But?" Rin prompted. Kanon got a sort of distracted look in her eyes as she walked between one of the shelves. She began rearranging things listlessly and Rin prompted again, "Jackal, what's wrong?"

She sighed, "Well… You know, someone contacted the school from your home town saying you had to come back for… Whatever reason. I couldn't find out why, but I think it had something to do with your sister."

Rin's eyes widened in surprise, "Hotaru? Are you sure they said it was about my sister?"

She hadn't been able to have much contact with her family since she had moved into the city, but the last letter she had received was in September and her sister sounded perfectly well. At least, her letter made it sound like nothing had changed.

Her sister was in fourth grade and as cheerful as ever… She had asked about her pets but didn't even mention Rin needing to come home for any reason and the topic of their mother was completely avoided.

Kanon nodded grimly as she traced a slim finger along the edge of a box. "They want you to go back for a few weeks, but like I said, I couldn't find out why exactly."

Rin grit her teeth agitatedly, "When did they tell you this?"

"Suzu-chan told me yesterday and asked for me to pass along the message."

"Do you know when they wanted me back by? How urgent is it?"

Kanon threaded her fingers into her hair and said, "I don't think it was _so _urgent, but you should probably go as soon as you can."

Rin groaned slightly, "I know I should… But what am I going to do about school? Winter break is just next week but finals are this week and I can't afford to miss too much of my waitress job." Not to mention the fact that she may have enough money to buy a ticket home but it might only be one-way. She decided to not mention that part.

It's not that she wouldn't do anything to get back home for her sister, she just worried about getting back.

Kanon smiled wantonly and finally patted her head, "You'll be fine. I'm sure you can ask to take your finals a little early, but I think those are the least of your problems."

"Why?"

Kanon sighed, "Well, along with the fact that you'll be disappearing for who knows how long, I _really _need to know if you plan on continuing to work for me or not."

She looked Rin right in the eye and something about her severity scared Rin. She'd never seen Kanon act so serious before. "Jackal… Is something the matter? Why are you so resolute about this?"

Kanon sighed again, sadly… Wearily… Suddenly, she seemed older than she looked. "I'm tired, Rin," she said slowly. "I'm getting old."

"You're not _that _old," Rin laughed, as if Kanon had made a joke.

Kanon smiled faintly, "You're right. I'm only twenty-four, but…" she shook her head suddenly and laughed, waving her words away, "Forget it. I'm fine." She grinned and said instead, "You don't have to answer that question yet, however, I _would_ like to know if you will continue working for me for another 'term', if nothing else."

"Another term?"

Kanon shrugged, "Another six months. I was planning on giving you about three anyways, before making you finally decide."

"Why three?"

"I like the number 'three'," Kanon joked. "So three terms sounds about right to me."

Rin rolled her eyes.

She loved working for Kanon, there was no doubt about it. As crazy as she was, she loved being in the weird shop that changed rooms on her. She loved listening to the ghost bird's song play every day and to Motonari and Masamune's constant squabbles; to Kojuro and Suzume's relentless lectures about behavior and to Kanon's mischievous laughter. Over all, she loved being with all of them in general.

It reminded her of when she was younger and her family was 'together'. Before her father and brother left and her mother fell apart… Yes… _They_ were her family now. And most of all, the one she loved being able to see was Masamune. No matter what, she had to be able to stay near him. Even with as much of a flirt he could be.

"Fine," she finally agreed. "I'll work for the rest of your two terms, if that's what you want."

Kanon patted her head and teased, "Well, I wouldn't say it's what _I _want. Let's just say that I'm sure a certain one-eyed brat I know of would approve of your decision as well, even if he'd never admit it."

"But I wasn't doing it for-"

"Speaking of said brat," Kanon interrupted deliberately. She smiled and held a slim box to her, "Here, think of it as a 'congrats on making it through six months' present. Open it the next time you're alone with Bontenmaru at his house, but only when you think you're ready. I think it'll help."

Rin started to ask doubtfully, "When I think I'm…?"

"**_Ready_**?" called a familiar voice from behind Rin. She turned to face Date and he repeated in Japanese, "Ready to go?"

Rin glanced back at Kanon who suddenly smirked, "Why, aren't we in a hurry to leave."

"Yeah, kind of, because-" Date pointed to the clock on his phone, "It's almost 4 o'clock. And doesn't Rin's train ride leave-?"

"In five minutes!" Rin cried in horror. They had set their meeting up at 2 PM sharp, how on Earth did almost two hours slip by so quickly? She hadn't even gotten to do what she had come to do in the first place.

Time really did fly in that shop.

Kanon started pushing Rin along as Date started leaving. She winked and teased, "Whoops, I guess I played with you for a little too long. You'd better get going now, and Rin?"

Rin paused to look back at her. Again, she noticed how small Kanon really was; she seemed almost fragile. At first she looked like she was going to say something serious, but the look disappeared as soon as it had come and she said instead, "Make sure you open that gift I gave you relatively soon, okay?"

Rin nodded but winced inwardly. She was already deathly afraid of what was in that box.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Kanon sighed loudly. She rubbed her forehead and asked aloud, "Two terms left, huh? …" She shook her head with a sigh and coughed loudly. She murmured, "Yeah… Only one more year left.

"I promise… Dane."

* * *

A/N: ... I love Kasuga. She slaps Rin around for me.

The first part of this plus the last part of the next chapter was both stuff I had previously written before I had gotten any of my facts straight and posted, so some of it seems a little backwards. (i.e, the "time" in the antique store). I only got into it now because I had forgotten about it before... -w-

- Jackal

(I can't wait to post my chapter about "the box". ha ha ha... Oh God. I'm going to hell.)


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

"Well, seeing as you've missed your train and the next one isn't for another two hours, want to wander around?" Date said it so casually that Rin looked at him curiously. He hadn't even breathed one word of an innuendo; she was surprised. They had left the store and were meandering slowly down the road. Rin paused as she blinked in surprise.

He looked back at her from the store window he had been looking through and asked, in response to her shocked expression, "What?"

"Nothing," Rin said, mimicking an awestruck air, "I'm just impressed that you were able to ask me out without making any sexual preferences as an afterword." She clapped sardonically and he rolled his eye but bowed dramatically.

He straightened and then laughed, "Yeah, yeah. It's been known to happen."

"Not around me," Rin muttered and Date laughed again.

"I just didn't want you spazzing about having to stick with me for another two hours, _**that's all**_."

'"S-stick with you'? For another two hours?" Rin's eyebrows rose into an upside down V and she said, "Why would you – I'm not going out with you for another minute!"

Date smiled somewhat resignedly and said, "Then don't, I'll just stalk you. You know, the police here are pretty good but in a city like this, you still gotta be careful."

Rin shook her head and said, "Well, I appreciate your worry, but I could always just hang out at work," she jerked her thumb behind her at the cafe, "It's only right there."

"For two hours?" Date asked, unconvinced. "Your boss is kind enough to let you stay sitting for two hours without buying anything?"

Rin sighed, "Well, I _do_ work there; maybe I can take over a shift." _Even though I left my uniform at home to clean. Stupid, stupid me._

"You've told me the hours you work, remember? I know you've already worked overtime and that today would make your second extra shift," Date said, matter-of-fact.

"How do you already know how long I've-?" Date only smiled and Rin sighed again. "Then, I'll…" She searched for a plan, "Do something." She finally finished lamely.

Masamune finally sighed and said, "As stubborn as ever." He shrugged, "You know, we could always go to my house and-"

"_No_," Rin said firmly; guessing what he was going to say next.

"I was going to say 'get my bike'," he laughed at her concern and teased, "But there's _that_ too, if you wanted."

Her face heated up and she started stomping off. She shouted behind her, "No way!"

He only laughed and continued teasing, "And _there's _that innuendo you were looking for."

He followed her and she shouted behind her, "Quit following me, creep!"

"Well, what else do I have for entertainment?" came his laid back response.

Rin stopped on her heel to turn at him and glare. She put her hands on her hips as he folded his and they stared at each other. After a sort of staring contest Rin gave up and threw her hands in the air saying exasperated, "Well, _I don't know_! Don't you have a district to protect, or something?!"

"Or something," he said with an amused smile. He shrugged and then decided, "Not really. I'm just a normal high school kid when the Territory Wars aren't going on."

"Yeah, _normal_," Rin muttered sarcastically under her breath. He continued to look at her for a reply so she finally asked, "Okay, then how about Katakura-san?"

"What about him?"

"Won't he worry about where you are?"

Masamune shrugged casually again, "Probably."

Rin started walking off again and snapped, "Then go bother _him _instead of me! He's your guardian, isn't he?"

As she had expected, Date's footsteps were heard following again as he said in a practical sounding tone, "But I can never get as big a rise out of him as I can from you, so it's not as _**fun**_."

Rin's face heated up, "Well, all the better then! You can just go practice your pestering skills on him; you're not going to improve if you only ever harass me!" Suddenly she regretted renewing her contract with Kanon. Now she'd have to put up with _this _for another year... Good grief.

Masamune only laughed, "Kojuro's _**no fun**_. Nope, I think I'll just continue following you."

"Auuugh!" Rin shouted with frustration. He continued to laugh.

They continued walking down the streets and after another moment of having absolutely no plan at all Rin finally decided to just sit at the park to watch people. There was clearly nothing else she could do but wait for the next train. If it weren't for the fact that it was a late Saturday afternoon, she could have taken the bus, but unfortunately it was closed after four on the weekend.

If she weren't so stubborn, she could have had Date drive her home like he had offered to, but then, he'd know where she lived and she _really _didn't want that. Besides, the thought of having to hold onto him from behind was too much to even consider and she didn't want to get Kojuro involved either.

When she got to her destination she picked a bench and brushed some snow off before sitting down. It was only the first week of December but snow had already begun falling and a light sheet had covered the area. By the time finals ended this week, and winter vacation started, there would probably be even more. It was cold enough for Rin to see her breath, but she didn't feel it because she still seemed to be overheated from her last conversation with Masamune.

Rin jumped slightly when someone wrapped a coat around her. She turned to watch Date sit beside her casually and then at his coat.

"I'm fine," she started to object, "I'm not-"

"Just wear it," he waved her off and leaned his back against the bench. After noticing her somewhat hostile expression he teased, "What, would you rather have _me_ around you?"

"_N-no_!"

"You're pouting."

Rin looked away and grumbled, "Am not."

He had moved close to her to pull her chin and make her look at him. She pouted as he laughed and said, "_**Cute**_."

She glared and pulled away. She complained, "Don't insult me when I can't understand you."

He snorted, "That wasn't an insult."

"Then what did you say?" Rin asked, suddenly curious against her better judgment.

"'Cute'."

Her face heated up quickly as she looked away and shouted, "That's still an insult!"

He laughed, "I guess coming from me, right?" She nodded and he sighed.

But speaking of insults… Rin suddenly remembered that he had said something to her in the hall way back in November... They hadn't had time together since then so she never had the chance to learn what he said exactly, but now was her chance!

So she'll be able to learn what he said and then settle their feelings for each other, if there truly were any. Suddenly though, she had her doubts. What if he really hadn't said what she wanted to hear and said something else? What if he had actually rejected her? What if- Before she could stop herself his name had already found its way past her lips, "Masamune."

"Yeah?"

She was silent as she suddenly berated herself her cheeks reddening with embarrasment. _Stupid, stupid! I told you to think this over before asking!_

_I'm sorry! _She practically cried to herself, _I wasn't thinking! His name just sort of-_

"Rin?" Date's voice broke her from her mental abuse but she just wanted to run away now. After all, it would be easier just to accept the idea that he had rejected her… It would be easier to finally cut her ties to him…

With a resigned sigh though, she forced in a rush, "…Will you teach me how to speak in English one day?"

He laughed with amusement, "You want to know?" She nodded quickly.

"There's something I need to know, but I don't understand what it means…" she mumbled, suddenly playing with her hair. She avoided looking at him as she sunk into herself. She asked in a small voice, "Could you translate for me?"

He smiled as he moved to lean his cheek into his hand, "Sure. Just ask me what you want to know and I'll try for you."

"Okay then…" Rin toyed with her longer bangs that reached to her shoulders. "What does '_**I**_' mean?"

"It means 'I'," he replied immediately.

"For just guys?"

He laughed and shook his head, "No, for both genders. Unlike us, English doesn't specify between gender characteristics, so it can be used by both guys and girls."

Rin blinked in surprise, looking at him and temporarily forgetting her coyness, "Really?"

He nodded, "Yup."

"Okay, then what does '_**you**_' mean?"

She asked because she figured it was the verb of the sentence he had spoken to her that day in the hallway but she frowned when he answered, "It means 'you'."

"Is it polite to use?" Rin asked. She was confused now because in _their _language, the verb was usually at the end of a sentence and she figured that if she knew at least the subject and the verb of what he had said, then she could figure out the rest but now she wasn't sure.

He shrugged off-handedly, "I guess… English doesn't really have different levels of politeness; it's pretty much all on the same level."

"That seems kind of rude," Rin commented. "How can they talk to superiors at the same level?"

He laughed, "Well, I guess anyone who speaks English is just a rude ass-hole anyways."

She laughed too and said, "That's so confusing. How do they know of each other's feelings if they can only use one form of a word?"

He shrugged, "I guess they don't."

"Oh…" Rin thought about it for a moment. So she had found out what the subject of his sentence had been, him, and the 'object' had been her… That just left the second word; the verb of the sentence. So what was that other word he had used? Rahve? What the heck did that even mean?

With a submissive sigh she finally asked again, "And what does '_**love**_' mean?"

With a sudden smirk Masamune finally understood why she had been so eager to learn English. He studied her curious face and said as deadpan as possible, "Oh, I don't really know…" he waved casually, "It's something similar to 'hate' or 'strongly dislike'."

Her eyes widened and suddenly she looked away, "Oh?" she asked, her voice quavering slightly. So on that day in the hall he had told her he hated her? She bit her lip harshly to stop from crying. She murmured, "I see…"

She knew she shouldn't have asked.

She was about to hide her face in her arms when suddenly he drew her close and forced her to look at him. He was smirking at her miserable looking face and he said softly, "You naïve, little flake… It doesn't mean that at all. I was just _**teasing **_you."

She blinked in surprise, "Then what does it-"

"Love."

"What?"

"That last day we were together, I told you I loved you. Just like you asked me to."

He pressed her head against his shoulder as she suddenly started crying, "You jerk! All this time I had thought you said you didn't like me or never wanted to see me again or something just as bad! And you encouraged that idea!"

He laughed, "Well, like I said before, you're fun to tease."

She glared at him through her tears; she was unsure of whether she wanted to hit him or kiss him or both. As if reading her mind he took the lead and leaned in to kiss her gently before saying, "For a smart girl, you're really dumb you know."

She pouted again, her face flushed now. She mumbled, "Shut up."

So he had done just as she asked… Just as she had wanted… The knowledge made her so much assured in her love for Date Masamune and now she understood for sure: she loved him and he loved her. That's all she had to know. He had proved it like she had asked, although in his own way. She pushed herself into him as a cold wind blew past and he held her tightly.

As he wrapped his jacket tighter around her shoulders he mentioned, "By the way Rin, you never did tell me why you were so flustered yesterday afternoon, were you mad at me or something?"

Rin blushed as she remembered Date's conversation earlier that day and quickly said, "Of course not." She pulled her arms back from around him and played with the hem of her skirt.

"Uh-huh," Date said, obviously unconvinced.

"But…" Rin said slowly, suddenly feeling the need to confess with the way Date eyed her with… Concern? She couldn't describe it.

"_**Go on**_, tell me," he said encouragingly.

Her eyes darted away as she mumbled, "W-well, it's just… I overheard you with another girl and… Well… I just…" she spat out in a rush, "I thought you were going out with her."

"Ah, so you were jealous." Date said with a knowing grin; he seemed pleased. _Too_ pleased. _Waaaay _too pleased. Rin blushed furiously.

"I wasn't jealous," she said hotly and waving a hand agitatedly. "I just didn't want to think you'd go back on your word to me to sleep with some other girl. I didn't want to think you were the type to break a… A promise just for f-fun." She shrunk against him, unable to even say the right words out loud.

"Hm…" Date thought about it and said, "Well, I guess I could have, but I wouldn't have done that, not to you…" Rin blinked in surprise and Date only glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "But for the record, I don't really like going on dates. Not my thing."

"What?" Rin asked, "But you're asked out all the time!" _Not to mention all the trouble you give me whenever I ask._

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I necessarily accept, well, any of them. Besides, I only ever really get anything out of a few girls. Most back out at the last minute, if you know what I mean."

Rin's face heated again, "I would too, I mean, we're too young to be… You know."

Date laughed, "Right, well, anyways, you're sixteen I suppose, and a girl, but I'm not and I don't play by those _**rules**_. I happen to be a healthy male of seventeen. _They _ask _me_, not necessarily the other way around."

Rin sighed, "So are you trying to tell me that if I had never asked you any of those times before, you'd never go out with me?"

He smirked and asked, "Go out where? You kept telling me they 'weren't dates' so it's not like I was really going out."

Rin glared now, "You jerk! You have no idea how difficult it was for me to-" He started laughing at her and she suddenly smiled.

"Flake," he teased.

"Jerk," she countered.

They were quiet again and Rin's thoughts drifted from Masamune, to Kanon, to… Hotaru. Her sister.

She winced now as she remembered that she would have to make a decision about when to go home and how soon. First she'd have to contact her but… She bumped her head against Date in attempt to chase out her worries.

_Don't think about it right now_, she told herself firmly. _Don't think about it at all. Just think about who you're with now. He's all that matters…_

"Oi, Rin, are you trying to put a dent in me or what? Your head is like a cannonball, you know," Masamune poked her forehead and she shook her head.

She laughed and said evasively, "It's nothing…"

"Liar."

Rin sighed, "Well, it's just that I was thinking about my sister and... It reminded me. I've been wondering something else about you…"

"Am I as good in bed as I say?" Date smirked as she glared and her cheeks heated up. "Well, you'd just have to find out for yourself." He ruffled her hair teasingly and she tried inching away from him, bristling at the suggestion like an offended cat.

"_No_!"

"Then what?" he asked lazily. He rested his chin on top of her head after she settled down and she pulled away again to look at him.

"Well, I mean… You have a younger brother, don't you? You told me you did the night of the festival, back in July."

"Right," Date replied in an undistinguishable tone of voice. It was strangely hollow sounding and he seemed a little fidgety all of a sudden.

Rin continued, "But… I've only ever met you. I was just wondering… What happened to your brother?"

Date was silent and when Rin turned to look at him, he had gone somewhat ridged and she could feel him tense against her. It took him awhile to reply because he was unsure of what to say. Should he make an excuse or-? He decided to just go with the truth.

"My brother's dead." He said simply.

"I see…." Rin said sadly. She let the words hang in the air and she sniffed, somehow fighting the sudden urge to cry again.

Date blinked in alarm, "What's wrong? Why are you crying now?"

"'What's wrong'?" Rin repeated incredulously. "You just told me that your brother is dead and you aren't bothered at all about it?"

"Not really," he shrugged. "It's been a long time since I've really thought about him."

"But…" Rin thought of her own brother; how would she have felt if she had been told he was dead? She doubted she'd be able to handle it. Or if she could, she definitely wouldn't be so calm about it; not like Masamune, that was for sure. She asked quietly, "Why?"

"My mother liked him more than me," Masamune replied just as calmly.

Rin only blinked, "That's all?"

A nod, "I told you before, haven't I? She hates me." He looked away now and suddenly wouldn't meet her questioning face. He let go of her to stand up and pace agitatedly.

"How could she ever hate you?" Rin whispered, because as far as she knew, Date Masamune was as good as God in this city, especially because of the fact that his family was in control. Sure, he had people who hated him, but why his own mother?

Although a little reckless, Masamune has been a shaky yet successful keeper of the Oshu District, his mother should have been proud of him. Wouldn't anyone be?

"Because. Of. _This_!" he finally hissed, tearing off his eye patch and taking an angry step back. Finally, Rin was able to see the oh-so terrible secret Date Masamune hid daily.

It was true, the famous One-Eyed Dragon truly only had one eye. Without his eye, his eyelid simply lay flat over an empty socket. The skin and area around the eye was only somewhat paler than the surrounding skin as he rarely, _ever_, exposed this eye to the sun, outside, and _especially_ to a girl he actually wanted so bad it hurt.

For once in a long time, Date Masamune felt pure nervousness.

He felt weak and vulnerable again.

He hated those feelings.

"Does it disgust you?" he asked, somewhat scornfully and watching her closely. He stretched his eye patch and made a move to cover it again but Rin stopped him.

When she got over the fact that he actually had only one eye, Rin found that she really didn't care at all. In fact, she stared at it with a fascinated sort of look before finally remembering to reply and she said confidently, "No."

She walked the step between them only cautiously because he seemed so on guard and when she lifted her hand slowly to feel it, but she hesitated at the last second and looked at him for permission. He glanced away quickly and then with a sort or resigned smile, nodded and relaxed slightly. She touched the skin lightly and asked gently, "Does it hurt?"

He was surprised Rin was taking this so calmly, but he wasn't going to show it. He shrugged shallowly, "Not at all. I mean, if I really wanted to, I could always just get plastic surgery and a fake eye or something, but if looking like this keeps my mother away, then I'm all too happy with it."

"Masamune…" Rin murmured. "I meant emotionally."

His mouth straightened itself into a grim line but he said simply, "No."

"Now _you're _the one who's lying," Rin said softly.

Masamune's fists clenched and he suddenly couldn't look her in the eye. "She never even looked at me," he said through gritted teeth. "Either pretended I wasn't around or taunted me. Began favoring my stupid brother instead…"

Rin listened silently, her hand still placed on his cheek. Rin listened silently, her hand still placed on his cheek. "I'm sorry," she finally murmured.

He looked at her in surprise. She was just leaning in to kiss him when suddenly they heard a short recording of a steam whistle and Rin whipped around to see the top of a silver train car start to slowly move into motion. She looked back at Date and his grim expression mirrored hers, as they both understood what this meant.

She had missed her train home.

Again.

* * *

"You know, you lost your train again," Date said, stating the obvious. They had migrated to the train station now and he sat down on one of the benches.

"I know…" Rin said gloomily with a sigh. She sat next to him and she could practically feel her life force drain out of her. Stuck, yet again. She almost wanted to cry.

"You seem to be very good at that." Date commented nonchalantly, "Did you want to go back to the park?"

Rin shook her head in despair, "No, let's just stick around here. I can't afford to miss the train for a third time."

"I could always just _drive_ you home but-"

"_I don't want to be any further in debt to you_," they finished together. Nope, definitely not going back to _those _days. She had only recently managed to pay him back for that stupid phone…

Date only laughed at Rin's stubbornness again as she blushed. She knew though, that even as she said that, as long as he stayed to keep her company she was burdening him for another two hours and that alone put her even further in his debt… But he said he _wanted _to stay with her to keep her safe, so that shouldn't count, right?

Secretly, Rin had to admit that she was somewhat pleased…

Date calmly sat back down on the bench and signaled for her to do the same. She sat on his left, somehow forgetting that was his good side and she thoroughly regretted it because she felt completely exposed to him now.

He had put on his eye patch again and neither seemed to want to go back to the topic again, so they found themselves sitting in yet another awkward silence.

Rin yawned. It was only ten minutes before seven but the sun had been long gone so it was getting colder and Rin wrapped herself tighter into her coat. She cursed Kasuga again for making her wear a skirt like this at this time of year She fought the urge to bring her knees to her chest to keep warm.

"If you're tired, you can rest on my shoulder," Date said calmly.

Rin looked at him suspiciously, "Thanks, but I'd rather lose my virginity awake."

Date snorted, "I'm _not_ going to rape or molest you in your sleep, you flake. Honestly, how sex-crazed do you think I am?" Rin pursed her lips silently and Date laughed again, "You must really think I'm a terrible person. Geez, to think you'd think I'd sink that low just to get some… You know, believe it or not, I _do _have an image to uphold. Even I wouldn't do anything so dirty to tarnish it."

"Yeah, but you obviously don't work too hard at maintaining it," Rin said.

He shrugged, "Guess not, but anyways, the point is that I wouldn't do anything to you while you were sleeping. … Unless you wanted me to." He said with a grin and then wiggling his fingers at her.

Rin bit back a laugh even as she blushed and said firmly, "No, thanks."

Date leaned back and said finally, "_**Suit yourself**_."

But she was getting so much more tired… Too many things had happened that day, and it had totally exhausted her. She let her eyelids close and leaned back into the bench. She would rest, but she wouldn't do it on Date's shoulder.

Even though… She sort of wanted to…

* * *

"Oi, Rin, this is one of my favorite shirts you're drooling on and I really need it for tomorrow, so can you please wake up before it gets too soaked? If you had warned me that you drool like a waterfall, I would have brought an umbrella."

Rin jolted at the sound of Masamune's voice near her ear and her hand immediately flew to her mouth, wiping at it furiously as her cheeks heated up. "I-I'm so sorry I fell a-" she pulled her hand away from her mouth to look at it and when she found it dry Date started roaring with laughter.

"_**G-got you**_!" he wheezed in between laughs, "Ah, I can't believe that worked, you're too cute!"

Rin's cheeks heated up even more as she shouted, "That wasn't funny you jerk! ("Yes, it was!" he choked) I thought I would actually have to owe you even _more_ money if I had ruined your clothes!"

"Pfft," Date finally calmed his laughter down to a mild snicker. He took a deep breath and said with a satisfied smile, "Well, I've had my laugh. Sorry I had to wake you up, but the train will be here in about five minutes, and like you said, you shouldn't miss it a third time."

Rin checked the watch on her bag again and saw that he was right, it was just before 8 o'clock and the train could come early so they hurried across the street. They reached the platform just as the small electric train pulled in and Date grinned, "Well, I don't know about you, but I had _**fun **_today."

She nodded half-heartedly; somehow she got the impression that she had gotten more than she bargained for. She had remembered his jacket and held it to him but he only grinned and said, "Keep it. You can give it back some other time."

"But-" he only smirked so she sighed and gave up, putting it back on.

She got onto the train and Date grinned now. Just as the doors were sliding shut he said casually, "And for the record, about what you had said about seeing me with another girl, I wouldn't have cheated on you. You're my girlfriend after all, aren't you?"

Before she could answer the doors had slid completely shut but not before he saw the practically radiant smile that had broken onto Rin's face.

* * *

A/N: YES. NOW THAT THAT IS OUT OF THE WAY. I FEEL AS IF A WEIGHT HAS FINALLY BEEN LIFTED. There's just one more thing I'd like to happen before this giant time leap is going to occur where I'm going to fast forward a few months because - face it, this fic is getting _way _too long. I mean, ten chapters is a lot but +20 is overkill, which is why I'm trying to get through this as fast as possible while staying consistent with how I've been going. I can't believe you people have read this far. Hopefully, I should be able to pull this thing to an end within the next... Five chapters. ... Or less. I'm not promising anything. I want it done by a chapter 30 at the earliest.

So, to support that, as I mentioned before, I've created a few "support" series to create more story but just... Not here... Because this is too damn long. Seriously, this story is over 168 pages on Microsoft word. OTL

Now, about this particular chapter, I had to delete and re-write A LOT of what I originally wrote, mainly because it was starting to make the story _way, way, way, way, WAY _too unrealistic (as if it already weren't) and it was starting to sound less and less like a modern fanfiction, so, to keep things relatively simpler and not so stupid sounding, I kept the main ideas of what I wanted and kept the how's and why's relatively vague. (i.e. the brother's early death. … Well, we know it's because the real Date Masamune killed him but if I had to have that explained during the story it would make things too awkward…)

I had an especially hard time deciding whether I wanted to keep in the conversation about Masamune's eye or not. It just seems like too much all of a sudden… And, there's not doubt about it, but it's just _**WAY TOO DRAMATIC**_. I mean, you have no idea how much I already regret adding the "Territory wars" because all of a sudden this just doesn't feel like a modern fic. It just keeps walking farther and farther away from realism. It's all because I couldn't bear just taking away BASARA's originality and… War-theme.

I just. …. Augh, good grief. What have I done? I think I'll go beat myself.

S-someone... shoot me now before I lay eggs. Please.

- Jackal

(By the way, Masamune owns a bike right now, but later on he'll probably get motorcycle. …. I bet his bike is really cool. B))

((I think one day I'll make another modern fic and just start from scratch again. You really have no idea how much I've started to hate this one right now. S-So much regret. At least you'll never see a story like this anywhere else... Ha... -w-))


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

'"Rin's got a boyfriend, Rin's got a boyfriend~"

Kanon cackled as Rin shot a glare at her. She took a deep breath and forced herself not to snap. "Honestly Jackal, could you _please _just drop this already?" she implored, "I already get enough of this sort of harassment from Kasuga-chan at school." _If not anything worse._

Kanon continued sniggering as she wheezed, "But it was so _obvious _you would end up like this; I just-!" she couldn't finish her sentence as she started bursting out with laughter again and Rin sighed. Finally, Kanon calmed down enough to ask a little more seriously, "So, I'm assuming you haven't told him yet?"

"Told him what?" Rin grumbled. She was taping the spine of a book with duct tape but she stopped to watch Kanon, who was quietly smoothing the face of one of her puppets with sand paper.

Kanon looked back at her and said nonchalantly, "About you leaving the city."

Rin rolled her eyes and went back to her work. "Of course not," she said calmly. "Why should I even bother? I'll only be gone for a week or two, and I'll be back sooner than _he'll_ be from his business meeting."

"Tch," Kanon clicked her tongue contemptuously.

"What?" Rin asked, irritated. "It's not like he'll miss me if he doesn't even know I'll be gone."

Kanon sighed with mock distress. "Rin, Rin, innocent, little, Rin.

Rin glared and asked again, "_What_?"

The older woman abandoned her work to stretch across her desk like a lazy cat. She practically purred, "Oh, _nothing_, it's just that I would hate to think you were the type to keep secrets from," she swooned melodramatically, "Your one true _love~"_

Rin decided to ignore the older woman now and Kanon pouted. She said, in an attempt to get Rin talking again, "After all, you shouldn't keep secrets as his lover."

"Could you not say it like that?!" Rin shouted angrily as Kanon started laughing again. Rin was trying increasingly hard not to completely destroy her roll of tape. She ripped off the last piece she had used rather violently and Kanon had noticed.

A devilish grin had sort of spread across her face as Kanon asked as mock innocently as possible, "Why not?"

Rin blushed as she seethed, "Because it just sounds too… I don't know, erotic."

"'_Erotic'?"_ Kanon asked in disbelief. Her laughter renewed itself as she choked out, "Okay then, what would you _like_ me to refer to you as?"

Rin glared as she started saying heatedly; "I'm his girl-" Rin choked on the words and stopped midway, blushing furiously. She tried again, "I'm his girl-"

No use. She just couldn't say the words out loud. _I'm his girlfriend_, she finally thought sullenly. _At least, that's what he called me, just a few days ago…_She traced the spine of the book she was repairing gently and smiled fondly.

Kanon, having been who she is, understood exactly what Rin was trying to say but she continued to tease, "So you're just his '_girl'? _His female partner?" She sniggered as Rin went silent; trying to ignore the older woman again. Kanon prodded, "His 'concubine'?"

"_What?!" _Rin practically screeched as she dropped the book abruptly, her face turning red. It fell and made a cracking noise as loud as Rin's yell, "_No_!"

"Mistress?~"

"You're doing this on purpose!"

"Sex friend?~"

Rin finally shouted angrily, fingers twitching, "_No, _damn it, now stop making it seem like I'm sleeping with him!"

Kanon only sneered as she asked, "Then tell me, Little Rin, what _are_ you to him really?"

"I'm his… _His_…!" Rin squeezed her eyes shut tightly and shouted, "_Girlfriend_!"

Kanon clapped sardonically and smirked. She leaned across her desk to pat Rin's head condescendingly. "Very good, Rin," she teased, "An 'A' plus for you."

Rin brushed the irritable woman away as she scowled. Her face was red as she complained, "Did you _have _to make me say it? I mean, it's not like you didn't already-"

Kanon stopped patting Rin as she suddenly whipped around to face the door and hissed, "Shh, be quiet. I hear something."

Rin did as she was told and watched Kanon. She was staring at the door intently and it was almost as if she really_ could _hear something. Rin listened as well but she couldn't hear anything of importance.

In flurry of movement, Kanon had gotten up completely from her seat and she tossed herself over the counter; abandoning her current project of cleaning up her dolls. She said quickly, "Hey Rin, fix the light bulb in the ceiling. And send our visitor to the back, I need to talk to him."

"What?" Rin asked in confusion. 'Fix the light bulb and send their visitor to the back?' _What _visitor? And fix what light? Rin looked skeptically at the one light bulb Kanon was pointing to. She had been sitting right under it behind the counter. It looked just fine though, so why did she have to fix it?

Just before she left, Kanon teased, "And just to let you know, I've been told that teen sex tapes can fetch quite a high price on the black market."

"What the hell is _that _supposed to mean?!" Rin screeched.

She took the roll of tape she was using and threw it at the older woman. Kanon dodged behind the wall with a laugh and cackled, "Aw, Rin-chan is angry!"

"I think you mean '_furious_'," Rin seethed, "And if you make one more crack like that I swear I'll-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Kanon had already disappeared and she sighed. _Honestly, that woman… _Rin moved behind the counter and grabbed the small ladder near the book case. She searched the drawers quickly for another bulb and a towel and then moved the ladder in position.

It wasn't very bright but she winced when she looked at it. She quickly pulled the string attached to it to turn it off and waited for it to cool down before poking it. She pulled the string again and it turned on perfectly. She muttered, "Why the hell do I need to fix this thing? It seems just fine-"

As she was muttering to herself she didn't notice the door to the shop open and Kanon's 'mysterious visitor' entered. He smirked when the amusing sight of Rin perching on a ladder and staring perplexedly at the light met his single eye.

"You know, stripes suit you." Rin jumped in her skin and nearly fell off her perch when Masamune's voice came from the entranceway behind her. When she recognized the voice she turned her face slightly to shoot an irritated glare at him for surprising her and he added with a smirk, "And I like the color too."

She stared at him uncomprehendingly for a minute until she realized exactly how much higher elevated she was at the moment. And, with a sudden jolt, she remembered that was exactly the sort of underwear she had put on that morning.

Rin grit her teeth as she paused her job of fixing the perfectly-working ceiling bulb to self-consciously try fixing her skirt. Her cheeks reddened with disgust as she shouted, "Y-_you_! Quit looking up my skirt, you one-eyed _pervert!_" She pointed an accusatory finger and threatened to throw the towel in her hand at him.

He laughed as he held up his hands surrendering and said innocently, "Not my _**fault **_you decided to climb a ladder wearing your school uniform. What are you doing up there, anyways?"

He set his backpack down and was walking closer to where she was still standing on the higher steps of the ladder. Rin sighed irritably to face him and she put her hands on her hips crossly. "I was replacing the light bulb like Kanon-sama asked me to. Why are _you _here?" she shot him an accusatory glare and said, "I thought you had some sort of exercise to do with Katakura-san today."

He shrugged nonchalantly and said, "I finished early." He had moved to stand below her and grinned then as he said, "And I'm _**lucky **_I did; the view is quite nice from here."

Rin had enough. She hurled the towel she was holding and he let it hit him lamely in the face. "You keep your perverted eyes to yourself!" she steamed.

He laughed good naturedly and removed the towel as he corrected, "I think you mean, 'perverted _eye_'."

She only scowled as her face turned redder and she shouted, "_Whatever_! Just keep it to yourself or else I won't be held responsible for whatever happens next!" She hopped off the ladder and stormed past him.

"And what might that be?" he teased, "I hope that whatever it is, isn't too dirty. You're quite the _**sadist**_."

Rin stared at him for a second until he started laughing. With a furious blush she suddenly grabbed her coat and school bag and started heading for the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Masamune called; still laughing and following her again.

"_Home_!" she yelled back. "I'm leaving; I've had just about enough of _you _and Kanon-sama!" She was just opening the door when he reached in front of her and slammed it back shut. He leaned his weight on his palm so she couldn't pull it open and then crowded her against it.

She glared. He had stopped laughing as he said calmly, "_**Wait**_, I was just teasing you. I'm sorry, so don't go yet."

Rin's glare softened as she calmed down and she faltered, "W-well, I…" She had tried looking him in the eye but immediately lost confidence in her speaking ability so she looked away and mumbled, "I'm still going home. I have to study for the mock final exams tomorrow." _You know my English is terrible..._

"Why don't you stay longer, so we can study together?"

Her face continued burning as sudden daydreams fluttered through her head but she shook them out as she stuttered, "W-w-well, because…" she didn't want to say that it was because she still hadn't opened that 'present' Kanon had given her before. The one she was supposed to open if she ever had the chance at being alone with him again.

Oh yeah, she may have been looking forward to being with _him, _but definitely not to finding out what was in that box.

Even though he was about half a foot taller than her, he leaned down to place his cheek on her shoulder and looked at her with his version of a wounded puppy, which looked nothing short of mischievous. Even with as innocent as he tried (and completely failed) at looking, the mocking tone in the back of his voice gave him entirely away, "Please?~ I'm practically begging you here, so have some _**compassion**_."

"N-no, I need to-"

"But," he pulled the next card he thought would work, "You're my _girlfriend_, so we should do things together."

Rin could feel her resolve start to weaken and he played his trump card; something he knew would finally tip her over the edge. He placed his lips against her neck and, he smirked when the inevitable finally happened, she gave in. "F-_fine_!" she tried inching away from him to glare half-heartedly and promised, "I'll wait for you at the café though; no way am I staying here!"

He grinned as he nipped her gently, "_**Fine**_."

He finally backed off to view the thousands of shades of red Rin had turned, a smug sort of smile on his face and Rin wondered if he would mind terribly if she decided to smack it right off.

With a mixed sigh of annoyance and pleasure, she opened the door again and started her way out as she repeated, "So I'll wait for you across the street." Suddenly she threatened, "But I swear, if you _ever _look up my skirt again, I'll sic Kasuga-chan on you."

"Oooh, _**scary**_," he mocked. He agreed, "She's definitely not a lady to **_mess with_**."

"Exactly," Rin nodded, satisfied that he had gotten the message and suddenly feeling as if she had at least _some_ control back.

As soon as she was easing the door shut though he finally added, "But at the risk of suddenly **_dying _**tomorrow, I have to tell you that you look good in blue!"

Rin blinked.

She suddenly realized what he was referring to again.

She slammed the door right in his laughing face.

* * *

"So, I take it that you had some fun right about now?" Kanon asked as Date found her. She was sitting comfortably in her favorite room in the back. The shouji screen to the courtyard was open to reveal a small pond that had frozen over for the season, but even with the miserably cold weather, Kanon seemed to be unaffected by it all.

Masamune smirked as he replied, "Actually, I did. I take it that you had a hand in it?"

Kanon matched his smirk as she said innocently, "No, of _course_ not, Bonten-chan; what makes you think I would _ever _do such a thing?"

He shrugged but laughed, "Well, I suppose you wouldn't, after all."

"Heh," Kanon smiled but it quickly disappeared when she asked seriously, "So, I assume you haven't told her yet?" she knew she was repeating the same exact question she had asked Rin not too long ago, but she didn't mind.

She studied Date's expression as he became serious as well and stated, "Of course not. And I don't plan on it either."

_Tch. Practically the same response too. _Kanon sighed, "Right… Although, I think it may be a mistake if you never talk about your mother to Rin. You know, I think she'll be able to understand you unlike anyone else ever have, so why don't you give her a chance?"

"Tch," Masamune rolled his eye. "My _mother," _he spat, "is not someone _anyone _should have the misfortune to meet; so I'm not going to subject Rin to it if I can help it." He shook his head confidently, "No… It's better if Rin thinks I'm just going on a business trip this Saturday, rather than meeting with _that woman_."

_Sorry Bontenmaru, but it's a little too late for that.._. Kanon sighed almost sympathetically. "You know," she hinted, "Rin might not exactly be doing 'just business' on her break either."

Masamune narrowed his eye and asked suspiciously, "What do you mean by that?"

Kanon smirked and shrugged, "Nothing. I'm just saying that being truthful is the most important thing to a relationship."

"But-"

"Hey, don't you have a date or something?" Kanon suddenly teased. "And I have work to do, so get out of here already, loser!"

She herded him out of the room and he tried one more time, even though he knew it to be futile, "But what do you mean about 'being truthful'?"

"I mean," Kanon actually replied, her strange, amber eyes glinting, "To be truthful."

_Like that helps_, Date thought sullenly. Oh well, it wasn't as if he was actually expecting a normal reply anyways. He walked through the rest of the building by himself; trying to decode Kanon's hidden message.

* * *

Rin stormed out of the shop, muttering furiously, "That one-eyed _creep_! Who does he think he is, doing such _completely, _infuriating acts so _shamelessly?! I swear,_ that guy makes me sick to my stomach sometimes and when I see him next I'm going to-"

Rin didn't finish her plotting when she suddenly bumped into someone. She fell down on the sidewalk and winced; rubbing the sudden soreness out of her butt.

"Augh… S-sorry about that," she groaned, "I wasn't looking where I was- … going." Her words trailed off slightly when she looked up at the woman whom she had bumped in to.

The woman was beautiful; _movie star beautiful_, Rin thought, suddenly self-conscious.

The long black hair that reached to her waist was half tied into a bun and pinned by an assortment of bright ornaments. Deep blue-grey eyes practically shone in the afternoon sun and pale skin showed off the rosy red in her cheeks.

Her light kimono showed that she was some sort of wealthy woman, but Rin hadn't expected a _noble_.

The beautiful woman smiled kindly. It was dazzling as she said apologetically in a voice as sweet as the sound of a harp, "Ah, my apologies! That was my fault entirely; please excuse me!"

Rin stared uncomprehendingly for a second before blushing and saying hastily, "No, the fault is mine. I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

The woman smiled as she held out a hand and Rin took it. She brushed herself off and the older woman suddenly gushed, "My, you're a cute one! What's your name?"

"Ah, Rin. Kazehaya Rin."

"What a pretty name," she complemented. She continued smiling as she replied, "My name is Mogami Yoshihime. You may call me 'Yoshihime-chan'~"

Rin smiled, "Ah, okay then, Yoshihime-chan."

"And may I ask, exactly where you are going in such a hurry, Rin-chan?"

Rin blushed now, "W-well, I was just on my way to the café because I'm going to be waiting for… someone…"

"Ah, a friend?" Yoshihime asked.

"W-well, sort of," Rin mumbled.

"Oh, so a _boy_friend," Yoshihime giggled. "What's his name?"

"H-his name is Date Masamune," Rin blushed furiously, "But please don't tell anyone. I'm sure you know of him; mostly everyone does… But w-we wanted to keep it somewhat secret and-"

Yoshihime put a finger to her lips as a catlike smile graced her delicate face. "Say no more, Rin-chan, I know exactly who you're talking about." She smiled as she giggled childishly again, "So cute! Anyways, I am on my own way somewhere as well, so if you'll excuse me." The woman smiled brightly before starting to walk off. She called back cheerfully, "I do hope we meet again sometime, Rin-chan."

Rin waved, "Yes, me too, Yoshihime-chan."

"And good luck with your relationship," the older woman added coolly. She said more quietly, "You'll need it."

Rin couldn't hear her properly but she replied, "Yes, thank you."

Yoshihime smiled.

* * *

Kanon relaxed on her back on the couch in the back room, her eyes shut but the rest of her senses wide open. She hadn't moved at all after she forced Masamune out, and she still didn't even when the approaching footsteps finally stopped at a safe distance away. The stranger sat down quietly in seiza and waited for Kanon to speak first.

Finally, Kanon smirked as she drawled, "So, what did you think of her, Yoshihime-_sama_?" Yoshihime didn't even flinch as Kanon suddenly turned her gold-flecked eyes toward her blue-grey ones.

"Ornery," Yoshihime said in a flat voice. "Boring, plain, dull… Trust my son to pick a girl of no background at all out of every well-brought up one here. Honestly." She flipped her hair behind her back and Kanon smirked.

"Ornery, perhaps, but kinder than someone like _you _could ever understand," Kanon mocked. She had moved to lie on her side and balanced her cheek on her hand.

Yoshihime sneered, "Oh, and as if _you _can actually fathom what the term 'kind' even means, Master of Manipulation, _Jackal-chan_."

Kanon shrugged indifferently, "Maybe not, but at least there's _some _meaning behind my meddling." Yoshihime laughed a tinkling noise that seemed pleasant enough, but actually held a deeper, darker sort of meaning if listened to carefully; which Kanon did. She smiled pleasantly as she asked, "May I ask what you find so funny, Yoshihime-sama?"

The other woman hid her mouth behind her kimono sleeve in an attempt to hold her polite façade and she trilled, "The only _meanings _behind your interferences are when _you _can benefit. Nothing ever good comes out of you otherwise; that's how you _Mouri_s have _always _been taught."

She wore a superior smirk and Kanon scowled. She never could understand how such a fair, good-natured guy like Date Masamune had ever sprung from a woman like _Date _Mogami Yoshihime; it just didn't seem possible, and yet…

She frowned. "In any case," she finally moved on, "You came here for a reason; you came here because you are in need of my assistance, are you not?" Now it was Kanon's turn to smirk with superiority as Yoshihime frowned.

"Yes," she admitted slowly. "Unfortunately… I do."

"And what might that be?" Kanon asked lazily, "Because you know I don't accept assassination jobs anymore. Those days are long over. There's just not enough profit."

Yoshihime frowned with mock offense, "Why, I would _never _ask for you to do that, Jackal-chan. Besides, like it or not, you _are _a woman, and you know I believe in deeply that women should not be subjected to such unclean acts."

"Che, yeah right," Kanon muttered sarcastically.

Yoshihime hadn't heard her so she continued, "No, I came to ask that you break up this relationship between my son and _that girl_."

She shuddered at even having to say the words and Kanon narrowed her eyes. She repeated, "'Break up'?"

"Yes," Yoshihime nodded, "Break up. Split. Tear apart; whatever you wish to call the act. Just _end _it."

Kanon kept her poker face as she asked indifferently, "And _why _on earth should I bother to do such a petty act? Surely, with as selfish as I am, it could never benefit me enough.

"Nope, sorry," she smirked, "I think I'll just have to pass because unfortunately, such a meaningless act would be a waste of my time and not nearly rewarding enough."

She closed her eyes again and went back to lying on her back. She was still smirking smugly until Yoshihime said darkly, "Oh, you won't do it even if I were to tell you that your precious _Suzume-_chan's relationship was involved?"

Kanon's eyes widened as she snapped her attention to Yoshihime, who was sneering now. She said loftily, "Please don't forget Jackal-_chan _that the permission of the engagement between _my _retainer, Katakura Kojuro, traces back to _me_ and without it they can never be married."

Kanon grit her teeth but tried keeping her cool. She took a few subtle, deep breaths to relax her temper and she forced out calmly, "Tch, '_your _retainer?' I believe that Kojuro is actually serving your _son_; not you. Besides that, the permission actually comes from _him _and he seems to grant it wholly."

Yoshihime scoffed, "Yes, but unfortunately, _I _am his mother, and all his rights are in my hands, as I am his legal parent."

"Yet, not his legal guardian," Kanon jeered. Suddenly she stood up and smirked down at Yoshihime's perfect sitting form. She stated clearly, "Your reasoning is invalid, and unfortunately for you I don't take the requests of half-wits. So, if you please," she made a mocking bow before starting to head towards the black door with the white dot.

"Oh, but one more thing, Jackal-chan," Yoshihime called; an engaging tone in her voice, "The land that you so lovingly watch over and protect and are standing on _right now _happens to still belong to the _Date_s – as our contract with your previous owner clearly states.

"As he is still currently missing, this land is officially Date Territory, and who knows what could happen if certain residents knew of 'foreign' manifestation in these parts? You know how especially violent they can get."

Kanon was silent as she thought the words over. Her eyes glinted angrily and although Yoshihime couldn't see them, she could tell that she had pinned Kanon against a wall by the way the other woman stood rigidly frozen to her spot.

After a triumphant silence on Yoshihime's side, Kanon finally forced through gritted teeth, "I have heard your words."

She was slinking through her door when Yoshihime asked with the answer already in mind, "But have you accepted my job or not?" Her smug smirk sickened Kanon and she could hardly even stand to look at her.

Kanon only said, "I expect your payment within the next week."

And that was the end of that.

* * *

A/N: It's kind of scary how I have so much fun in bullying Rin. It's a little concerning, actually. I suppose it's inevitable though, with how naive she is. OTL

I think that out of all the characters created and all the new personalities I've portrayed though, Kanon is probably my favorite. Maybe it's because she seems to have so many different faces, or that she just seems to be _that _sort of character, but I really love using her.

Anyways, thanks so much for all the previous comments and reviews; they really boosted my writing morale. See, my new dilemma right now is that I'm on summer vacation so I have ALLLLLLLLLL this time to write, but even with so much free time, I just can't get myself to sit down and type properly. I use writing fanfiction as an escape from school and homework, so without that, I have nothing pressuring me to doing anything else productive. So. Yeah. I needed your kind words greatly.

They also stopped me from having to slap myself in the face for thinking such a story up. Clearly, there are at least _a few _crazies who enjoy it as much as I (half-heartedly) do.

- Jackal

(... Back to the topic of Kanon, while I was typing this chapter, I suddenly realized that her nickname 'Jackal' with the honorific -_chan _sounds like 'Jackie-chan'. Now, it's stuck in my head and one day you'll just see me typing 'Jackie-chan' all over the place. Oh dear God, what have I done? I'm sorry I didn't realize that sooner. OTL)


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